The Order of The Phoenix Reads The Deathly Hallows
by DarkxTwistedFantasy
Summary: Does what it says on the tin. Several members of The Order of the Phoenix, both past and present, read the last Harry Potter book.
1. The Dark Lord Ascending

**Disclaimer: Obviously I am a rich blonde woman from England who one day had the brilliant idea to make a profile as a 19 year old girl from Greece and start posting stories about her characters(please apply the appropriate amount of sarcasm here). So no I don't own Harry Potter; Never have never will. Just borrowing the characters for a spin.**

**A/N: First of all hi! I know this has been done countless times and is really cliched… the thing is though I only found out this kind of stories existed just a few months ago and I've been obsessed ever since. Unfortunately, even though I came across some really amazing stories, most of them weren't finished and I was always left wondering what would happen next. So this wondering finally resulted in me trying to write my own read the books story and well…here we are. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! **

**Members of the Order who will be in this story:**

**Albus Dumbledore**

**Minerva McGonagall**

**Alastor (Mad-Eye) Moody**

**Kingsley Shacklebolt **

**Frank Longbottom**

**Alice Longbottom**

**James Potter**

**Lily Potter**

**Sirius Black**

**Remus Lupin**

**Nymphadora Tonks**

**Arthur Weasley **

**Molly Weasley**

**Bill Weasley**

**Fleur Delacour**

**Charlie Weasley**

**Fred Weasley**

**George Weasley**

**Ginny Weasley **

**Rubeus Hagrid**

**Lee Jordan**

As the clouds parted, the newly revealed sun cast its rays through the window of a room that seemed fairly ordinary. Its walls were painted a dull grey color and it contained nothing more than a rather large, wooden table with several chairs placed around it. All in all there was nothing in there to attract someone's attention; That is until the moment several people appeared inside it, looking confusedly at their surroundings.

''What the bloody hell is going on?'' exclaimed Fred Weasley as he, his twin and their best friend Lee Jordan whipped out their wands and looked cautiously around the room; only to find about 17 other people doing the exact same thing.

''I would like to ask everyone to kindly lower your wands,'' a calm voice was heard ''there is no threat to anyone here''.

Everyone spun around to locate the source of the voice but what they saw was definetely not what anyone was expecting.

''Albus?'' asked Molly, shock coloring her voice as she stared at her old Headmaster, a man who she, in all certainty, presumed to be dead. Hell she had attended his funeral not even a month ago. Kingsley beside her felt his jaw drop open at the sight of his _late_ old friend, who he thought was resting in a marble grave, yet here he was, standing in front of them as if he had never ceased living.

Dumbledore tipped his head lightly forward and spoke slowly, a small smile grazing his lips. ''As you seem to have noticed, not all people who are in this room are supposed to be currently alive.''

His words had an immediate effect as everyone turned around and looked at the ones next to them._ Really _looked.

''Sirius?'' asked Remus cautiously, not daring to believe his eyes. Sirius smiled warmly at his friend.

''Charlie!'' Bill smiled at his younger brother. ''You're back already? I thought you couldn't leave Romania for another two weeks.''

''Hold on Harry's here too.'' said Ginny pointing at a man with glasses and messy jet black hair that was sticking out in every direction, with a wide smile on her face. The fact that they weren't together now, didn't stop her from missing him while he was at the Dursleys.

''I can't find Ron and Hermione anywhere though'' said George scanning the crowd with his eyes for any sign of red or bushy brown hair and Fred added jokingly '' Yeah, didn't know you three could actually function properly without being attached to the hip''.

''Um… I am not Har - '' the man Ginny was pointing at started but his tentative voice was cut out.

''No way… Prongs?'' croaked Sirius, his eyes widening, amazed at the fact that his long dead best mate was once again right in front of him.

''Is that really you?'' inquired Remus in a voice that was barely above a whisper as he followed Sirius's line of vision and ended up staring at James and the red – haired woman he was holding hands with. '' A – and Lily?''

The people in question both gave a jerky nod, too stunned at the moment to do anything else.

There was a moment of silence and then everyone sprang in action. The Marauders and Lily met in the middle, clutching each other hard as tears swam in Lily's eyes (and in the men's too though they would deny it with all their might). The Weasleys all went to welcome Charlie while Tonks bestowed a wide, sunny smile and a wink at Mad-Eye before going to greet her friend; that was if she could spot him among the sea of redheads surrounding him.

Dumbledore, having been greeted himself by a firm, honest handshake from Kingsley and a light hug from McGonagall and Hagrid, was watching the heartwarming scene, his eyes twinkling. After a few minutes he figured enough time had passed so he coughed lightly to get everyone in order.

''Now that you have been properly reacquainted with your loved ones, I would like to direct your attention to the matter at hand. There is a reason we are all gathered here,'' he said while picking up a thick book from the table that no one had noticed before.

''Wait you don't mean… The only reason that we're all here is just to read a book?'' cut in George looking a bit incredulous. ''Lame'' he whispered to Fred who snorted.

''Precisely Mr Weasley. And it will not seem as lame when you understand what it is about'', Dumbledore smiled at the twins' slightly red, embarassed faces and whipped out a single piece of paper from the first page of the book. ''I arrived in this room a few minutes before you, therefore I am already informed about the purpose of our gathering. However this note will clear things up better than any explanation I could give''. At everyone's expectant looks he started reading.

_Dear friends,_

_You have all been summoned here today for a very special reason. All of you have been members of the Order and have fought bravely and valiantly towards one common goal. Defying Voldemort and putting an end to the destruction he is causing. You have all suffered greatly for the cause and because of it you have been awarded a special honor. This book you are holding is called _Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows _and narrates the last year as well as the end of the Second War. Though you will not recall these happenings after you leave this room, certain details will remain in your subconscious; something which could prove useful or even life-saving in a time of need. Nevertheless your time here is limited._

_Use it well._

Everybody was staring at Dumbledore by the time he was done, their mouths gaping open. Lily was the first one to recover.

''Professor'' she started, too stunned to realize there was no need for her to address him that way ''you mean to tell us that this book is about Harry? _Our _Harry?''

''And it will let us know how this dreadful war ends?'' asked Sirius hopefully as the others were slowly shaking themselves out of their stupor.

Dumbledore inclined his head to the pair of them. ''Precisely. Harry has been a vital part of the fight against Voldemort for quite some time now.'' He waited a few seconds in case there were any additional questions and then carried on. ''And now if you would all like to sit and make yourselves comfortable we shall begin.''

There was a bit of shuffling as everyone tried to find a seat. After everyone had settled down Dumbledore grabbed the book and looked inquiringly to his left, at the Potters, as if asking permission. After a curt nod from James, who wanted to get this whole thing started as soon as possible, he cleared his throat and began…

**Chapter 1**

**The Dark Lord Ascending**

_Well that's a cheerful title, _thought Ginny grimly.

**The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane. For a second they stood quite still, wands directed at each other's chests; then, recognizing each other, they stowed their wands beneath their cloaks and started walking briskly in the same direction.**

**"News?" asked the taller of the two. "The best," replied Severus Snape.**

''Snape'' growled Sirius. ''I take it the slimy git is no longer pretending to be on our side''

''No'' replied Arthur angrily.

''I guess murdering Albus Dumbledore in cold blood made it kind of hard to keep up appearances'' added Bill, looking just as worked up as his father.

''What?'' exclaimed James, Frank and Alice, certain they had misunderstood.

''He killed you?'' Lily directed the question at her old Headmaster, who simply nodded calmly without commenting further as if the matter concerned a passerby and not himself.

''No…it-it's not possible'' she muttered, her face paling considerably. She couldn't believe it. Lily was no longer blind to the true nature of her former friend, she knew he had been lured by the Dark Side. But surely even then he would never commit something as atrocious?

People around her had started talking, voicing their own opinions about Snape. Pretty soon shouting and various, creative insults started making their way around the room until the noise rose to such a level that no one could make out what the other was saying.

''Enough'' Dumbledore's stern voice was heard above the clatter and everyone instantly fell silent. ''Now is not the time to discuss what Severus Snape has or has not done''. Several people looked as if they disagreed but nobody voiced any objections so Dumbledore continued.

**The lane was bordered on the left by wild, low-growing brambles, on the right by a high, neatly manicured hedge. The men's long cloaks flapped around their ankles as they marched. **

**"Thought I might be late," said Yaxley, his blunt features sliding in and out of sight as the branches of overhanging trees broke the moonlight. "It was a little ****trickier than I expected. But I hope he will be satisfied. You sound confident that your reception will be good?"**

**Snape nodded, but did not elaborate. They turned right, into a wide driveway that led off the lane. The high hedge curved into them, running off into the distance beyond the pair of imposing wrought-iron gates barring the men's way. Neither of them broke step: In silence both raised their left arms in a kind of salute and passed straight through, as though the dark metal was smoke. The yew hedges muffled the sound of the men's footsteps. There was a rustle somewhere to their right: Yaxley drew his wand again pointing it over his companion's head, but the source of the noise proved to be nothing more than a pure-white peacock, strutting majestically along the top of the hedge.**

"**He always did himself well, Lucius. Peacocks …" Yaxley thrust his wand back under his cloak with a snort.**

Arthur shook his head slightly. Though news was scarce at best these days, a few pieces of information had circulated concerning Lucius Malfoy's fall from grace following the Ministry debacle. After all the times he'd had to endure Malfoy's scornful comments about his economical and social status, the man had finally faced the harsh reality that having a lot of money did nothing to secure him from humiliation. Arthur could feel nothing but a vindictive sort of joy at that thought.

**A handsome manor house grew out of the darkness at the end of the straight drive, lights glinting in the diamond paned downstairs windows. Somewhere in the dark garden beyond the hedge a fountain was playing. Gravel crackled beneath their feet as Snape and Yaxley sped toward the front door, which swung inward at their approach, though nobody had visibly opened it.**

**The hallway was large, dimly lit, and sumptuously decorated, with a magnificent carpet covering most of the stone floor. The eyes of the pale-faced portraits on the wall followed Snape and Yaxley as they strode past. The two men halted at a heavy wooden door leading into the next room, hesitated for the space of a heartbeat, then Snape turned the bronze handle.**

**The drawing room was full of silent people, sitting at a long and ornate table. The room's usual furniture had been pushed carelessly up against the walls. Illumination came from a roaring fire beneath a handsome marble mantelpiece surmounted by a gilded mirror.**

**Snape and Yaxley lingered for a moment on the threshold. As their eyes grew accustomed to the lack of light, they were drawn upward to the strangest feature of the scene: an apparently unconscious human figure hanging upside down over the table, revolving slowly as if suspended by an invisible rope, and reflected in the mirror and in the bare, polished surface of the table below. None of the people seated underneath this singular sight were looking at it except for a pale young man sitting almost directly below it. He seemed unable to prevent himself from glancing upward every minute or so.**

Fred, George and Ginny exchanged wary glances. Sure Draco Malfoy – for surely he was the pale young man – wasn't exactly on their Christmas list but still they did not wish for him to end up like that; An unwilling servant of Voldemort's every whim, having to endure the wizard's dreadful presence inside his own house. No matter how big of a malicious git he was, he didn't deserve it; And he certainly did not seem to enjoy it. And by the way, what was the deal with that floating figure?

"**Yaxley. Snape," said a high, clear voice from the head of the table. "You are very nearly late."**

**The speaker was seated directly in front of the fireplace, so that it was difficult, at first, for the new arrivals to make out more than his silhouette. As they drew nearer, however, his face shone through the gloom, hairless, snakelike, with slits for nostrils and gleaming red eyes whose pupils were vertical. He was so pale that he seemed to emit a pearly glow.**

Around the room people sat straighter in their seats while others leaned forward, their eyes trained on the book. Everyone was fairly certain they knew who the mysterious, pearly-glowing stranger was and were intent on taking in every single piece of information about the opposing side's plans that was offered to them – no matter how unconventional the means of that offer were.

"**Severus, here," said Voldemort, indicating the seat on his immediate right. "Yaxley –beside Dolohov."**

Sirius did his best to contain a scoff. So the traitor had become Voldemort's right hand man now huh? Glancing at James it was clear that his best mate shared his thoughts and they exchanged a quick look before directing their attention back to Dumbledore.

**The two men took their allotted places. Most of the eyes around the table followed Snape, and it was to him that Voldemort spoke first.**

"**So?"**

"**My Lord, the Order of the Phoenix intends to move Harry Potter from his current place of safety on Saturday next, at nightfall."**

Groans were heard around the room followed by curses as the members of the Order came to the unfortunate realization that their carefully thought-out plan to remove Harry from his current premises safely was now shot to hell.

**The interest around the table sharpened palpably: Some stiffened, others fidgeted, all gazing at Snape and Voldemort.**

"**Saturday … at nightfall," repeated Voldemort. His red eyes fastened upon Snape's black ones with such intensity that some of the watchers looked away, apparently fearful that they themselves would be scorched by the ferocity of the gaze. Snape, however, looked calmly back into Voldemort's face and, after a moment or two, Voldemort's lipless mouth curved into something like a smile.**

"**Good. Very good. And this information comes –"**

" – **from the source we discussed," said Snape.**

''Of course it would be asking too much to let us know who this bloody source is'' growled Mad-Eye, his normal eye focused on the book while the other one was rolling in its socket, inspecting each and every face around him. ''When I find out which scumbag spilled the beans - and rest assured that I will - I'll show them how we dealt with traitors in my day. When I was training there was honor and trust to be had amongst comrades!'' he spat angrily.

''Calm down Alastor,'' said Dumbledore from a couple of seats to the left, attempting to pacify the riled-up former Auror. Casting a glance around the room, it was obvious everyone was quite upset about the impending violation of their trust from someone they obviously considered reliable. The Potters in particular were extremely distraught. Lily had buried her face in James's shoulder and was shaking ever so slightly as horrific images of what could become of her son if Voldemort got hold of him flooded her mind. Her husband had one arm comfortingly around her while the other was gripping the table in front of him so hard, his knuckles had turned white. His expression was thunderous.

''I understand the gravity of the situation, however there is nothing that can be done now.'' Dumbledore went on. ''It is imperative that we continue with the story. I do believe that everything will be revealed in due time.'' He himself had, of course, a pretty clear picture on what had happened, yet he could not share it with the others. Much as he wanted to give them all peace of mind, he knew it would be too complicated and not well – recieved at the moment. It had to wait.

**Yaxley had leaned forward to look down the long table at Voldemort and Snape. All faces turned to him.**

"**My Lord, I have heard differently."**

**Yaxley waited, but Voldemort did not speak, so he went on, "Dawlish, the Auror, let slip that Potter will not be moved until the thirtieth, the night before the boy turns seventeen."**

''At least we know that _something_ goes according to plan,'' said Tonks a bit too enthusiastically, in an attempt to lighten up the atmosphere.

''Yes, but I doubt Voldemort will fall for it now. He seems to regard Snape as much more trustworthy than Yaxley,'' said Charlie somberly in response and the woman's face fell.

**Snape was smiling.**

"**My source told me that there are plans to lay a false trail; this must be it. No doubt a Confundus Charm has been placed upon Dawlish. It would not be the first time; he is known to be susceptible."**

Frank cursed under his breath and Remus balled his hands into fists. Bloody Snivellus and his bloody source!

"**I assure you, my Lord, Dawlish seemed quite certain," said Yaxley.**

"**If he has been Confunded, naturally he is certain," said Snape. "I assure **_**you,**_** Yaxley, the Auror Office will play no further part in the protection of Harry Potter. The Order believes that we have infiltrated the Ministry."**

"**The Order's got one thing right, then, eh?" said a squat man sitting a short distance from Yaxley; he gave a wheezy giggle that was echoed here and there along the table.**

Indignant snorts were heard but no one deigned to dignify that statement with a response.

**Voldemort did not laugh. His gaze had wandered upward to the body revolving slowly overhead, and he seemed to be lost in thought.**

"**My Lord," Yaxley went on, "Dawlish believes an entire party of Aurors will be used to transfer the boy –"**

**Voldemort held up a large white hand, and Yaxley subsided at once, watching resentfully as Voldemort turned back to Snape.**

"**Where are they going to hide the boy next?"**

"**At the home of one of the Order," said Snape. "The place, according to the source, has been given every protection that the Order and Ministry together could provide. I think that there is little chance of taking him once he is there, my Lord, unless, of course, the Ministry has fallen before next Saturday, which might give us the opportunity to discover and undo enough of the enchantments to break through the rest."**

"**Well, Yaxley?" Voldemort called down the table, the firelight glinting strangely in his red eyes. " **_**Will**_** the Ministry have fallen by next Saturday?"**

''Oh hell no!'' Lee's voice was something akin to a war cry as his eyes whirled frantically, finally settling on Dumbledore and Kingsley at the top of the table.

Arthur looked equally worried. ''I know the Deatheaters's power has increased significantly lately but surely they are not yet powerful enough to attempt to take control of the whole Ministry of Magic! It's a suicide mission at best - even they have to realize that,'' he said trying to sound convincing though his voice held a trace of uncertainty.

Kingsley cleared his throat and everyone turned worried eyes on him. ''I would strongly advise you to calm down. We are aware that there have been several attempts to corrupt Ministry officials or put them under the Imperius curse _but_,'' he continued sharply ''that does not mean we are just twiddling our thumbs. We have taken preemptive measures and are fully prepared to defend ourselves against any attack.''

''I agree with Kingsley,'' said Alice with a nod at her old colleague. ''We are all capable of holding our own in a fight and successfully defending ourselves.'' Without noticing she had slipped back into Auror mode, talking as if she was still able to fight in this war. ''Besides we need to stop fretting every time we hear something upsetting. We all know what this book is about; Nobody expects it to be a pleasant read. However we cannot keep interrupting after every sentence or else we'll never get to the end. Remember what the note said, our time here is limited. We need to make the most of it.''

During her speech she had gotten up without realizing it; As she was sitting back down Frank squeezed her hand. He knew why his wife was so insistent about continuing with the story. It was, of course, because of what she said but there was another reason included, one she had omitted to mention. They were both hoping that somewhere in the story their son would be mentioned. Frank knew Lily was one of Alice's best friends and when they had found out they were pregnant at the same time, countless hours had been devoted in coming up with ways to ensure their children would end up being best of friends. Of course their death had kind of put a damper on those plans yet they still couldn't help but wish the boys were at least close enough for Neville to be mentioned in a book that was about Harry.

After Alice had sat down, Moody shot her an approving look before motioning for Dumbledore to go on with the story.

**Once again, all heads turned. Yaxley squared his shoulders.**

"**My Lord, I have good news on that score. I have – with difficulty, and after great effort – succeeded in placing an Imperius Curse upon Pius Thicknesse."**

Several people shook their heads in disappointment though nobody actually said anything keeping in mind Alice's outburst.

**Many of those sitting around Yaxley looked impressed; his neighbor, Dolohov, a man with a long, twisted face, clapped him on the back.**

"**It is a start," said Voldemort. "But Thicknesse is only one man. Scrimgeour must be surrounded by our people before I act. One failed attempt on the Minister's life will set me back a long way."**

"**Yes – my Lord, that is true – but you know, as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Thicknesse has regular contact not only with the Minister himself, but also with the Heads of all the other Ministry departments. It will, I think, be easy now that we have such a high-ranking official under our control, to subjugate the others, and then they can all work together to bring Scrimgeour down."**

"**As long as our friend Thicknesse is not discovered before he has converted the rest," said Voldemort.**

_If only we could remember these things afterwards, _thought Arthur bitterly. He'd run screaming through the whole Ministry if that was what it took to reveal Thicknesse's agency had been compromised in that way. It wouldn't be that hard to believe. He had come across the man lots of times after his promotion and Arthur could not honestly say he was surprised that he had fallen prey to the Deatheaters. Thicknesse was good for paperwork and barking orders but not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.

"**At any rate, it remains unlikely that the Ministry will be mine before next Saturday. If we cannot touch the boy at his destination, then it must be done while he travels."**

"**We are at an advantage there, my Lord," said Yaxley, who seemed determined to receive some portion of approval. "We now have several people planted within the Department of Magical Transport. If Potter Apparates or uses the Floo Network, we shall know immediately."**

"**He will not do either," said Snape. "The Order is eschewing any form of transport that is controlled or regulated by the Ministry; they mistrust everything to do with the place."**

"**All the better," said Voldemort. "He will have to move in the open. Easier to take, by far."**

''Ugh, can someone just shut Snape up already!'' exclaimed Lily in an exasperated sort of voice. When she looked around she saw everyone's gaze transfixed on her.

''What?'' she said sounding a bit embarassed especially by the way her husband and friends were staring at her, as if she had just sprouted antlers – though for anyone who knew James a sight like that should not be a cause for alarm… ''What?'' she repeated starting to get annoyed by the whole staring and not talking thing.

''Well…you…said Snivel – er I mean Snape…but…'' James managed to say which didn't really do anything to clear things up until suddenly realization dawned on Lily.

''Wait don't tell me you honestly thought a friendship from years ago with a man who turned out to be nothing like I thought he was would really be more important to me than the well-being of my own son? Honestly Potter,'' she added huffing ''I did not take you to be that thick. Black sure but I had higher hopes for you.''

''My Love! My flower! My Lily – flower!'' cried James joyously as he grabbed her face with his hands and started planting kisses all over her face much to the amusement of the rest of the room.

''Evans for once you have managed to surprise me.'' Sirius had actually gotten up and was now standing in front of Lily. ''I would like to offer my sincerest congratulations for your choices in life,'' he said, waiting until the woman survived James's overenthusiastic way of showing his affection and in all seriousness took her hand and shook it formally. ''Which is why, for once, I will let the insult to my – extremely groomed and dashing – person to slide,'' he added as Lily gave him a mischievous smirk to rival his own.

''Oh for the love of – I feel like I'm back at Hogwarts with the way you…imbeciles are behaving right now!'' said Remus with a long – suffering expression that caused Tonks to burst out laughing. Frank and Alice had given up trying to control their mirth a good five minutes ago and the sound of their laughter made the rest of the room join in.

''Oh Moony,'' Sirius managed to get out between bouts of laughter ''you know your life would be so boring and predictable without us!''

''Deep down you love us,'' added James with a wink and Remus experienced the strangest urge to stick out his tongue to the pair of them.

''Ahem…I believe we should proceed with the story,'' cut in Dumbledore before Remus had a chance to reply, though his bright blue eyes were sparkling with amusement behind his glasses.

**There have been too many mistakes where Harry Potter is concerned. Some of them have been my own. That Potter lives is due more to my errors than to his triumphs."**

_How dare he, _thought Hagrid angrily. He might not know the full extent of what had gone down during all the times Harry had faced Voldemort – those three were too bloody secretive – but he did know that the boy's impressive skill and immense courage could not be doubted.

**The company around the table watched Voldemort apprehensively, each of them, by his or her expression, afraid that they might be blamed for Harry Potter's continued existence. Voldemort, however, seemed to be speaking more to himself than to any of them, still addressing the unconscious body above him.**

"**I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best-laid plans. But I know better now. I understand those things that I did not understand before. I must be the one to kill Harry Potter, and I shall be."**

_Like hell you shall, _thought James angrily, all traces of the previous mirth gone from his face.

**At these words, seemingly in response to them, a sudden wail sounded, a terrible, drawn-out cry of misery and pain. Many of those at the table looked downward, startled, for the sound had seemed to issue from below their feet**.

A few people looked around confusedly as if they expected the answer to what was making that noise to be hanging in a banner somewhere.

"**Wormtail," said Voldemort, with no change in his quiet, thoughtful tone, and without removing his eyes from the revolving body above, "have I not spoken to you about keeping our prisoner quiet?"**

"**Yes, m-my Lord," gasped a small man halfway down the table, who had been sitting so low in his chair that it appeared, at first glance, to be unoccupied. Now he scrambled from his seat and scurried from the room, leaving nothing behind him but a curious gleam of silver.**

Any traces of lightheartedness vanished completely from the atmosphere as a hiss made its way around the room originating from the place where the Marauders and Lily were seated.

The woman stole a glance at her husband's stony expression and emitted a groan, burying her face in her hands. The last thing they needed now was for that traitor, that…rat to be mentioned. She was perfectly aware of the thoughts that were currently going through James's mind. She knew that he, no matter what, would always regard it as the utmost betrayal to even consider not trusting one of his friends. And that was precisely why James was putting most of the blame on himself, wondering if perhaps there was something he could have done as a friend to prevent Wormtail from turning out that way. Try as she might to change his mind, make him see that wasn't true, he couldn't be convinced. She knew all that and it only made her resentment towards a man she had come to think of as friend grow even more.

Lily had always had little affection towards Peter, originally regarding him as nothing more than an incompetent tag – along hoping to live off some of the popularity and troublemaking reputation that followed James and Sirius, and even Remus to an extent, wherever they went. Even after she and James got together her opinion of him did not change greatly. By the time Harry's first birthday had rolled around she had grudgingly accepted him as an actual friend both to her and James but all that progress was shot to hell after realizing the crucial role he had played in the events resulting to their death and the destruction of their little family. Now she could feel only hate boiling inside her as she witnessed the repercussions his actions had on the people she cared most about, not only James but Sirius and Remus as well, even after all those years.

Both Sirius and Remus were visibly upset, the latter clutching Tonks's hand so hard he was surely cutting off blood circulation, a muscle jumping at his jaw; The former seemed the picture of calmness if not for his hands, which were gripping the sides of the chair he was sitting rigidly on so hard you would think he could cut off whole chunks of them. No one uttered a single word.

"**As I was saying," continued Voldemort, looking again at the tense faces of his followers, "I understand better now. I shall need, for instance, to borrow a wand from one of you before I go to kill Potter."**

**The faces around him displayed nothing but shock; he might have announced that he wanted to borrow one of their arms.**

The people in this room shared the same sentiments.

''Why in the world would he need to borrow someone else's wand?'' asked Molly befuddled, her children nodding along, equally confused. While it was not unheard of for a wizard to borrow the wand of another, it was certainly rare and only resorted to in a time of need. Voldemort had not been deprived of his wand and was in fact preparing to do in who he percieved as his greatest enemy – Molly did her best not to shiver at the thought of the boy she had come to consider as her own son falling at the hands of one of the most evil wizards in history – one would think he would have wanted to take full advantage of the connection between the wand and the wizard it had chosen. It simply did not make sense.

McGonagall had similar thoughts. She bore her sharp, piercing eyes into Dumbledore, having a strong feeling the man at her right knew more about this than any of the others combined.

''This matter is far too complex for me to explain articulately at the moment,'' said Dumbledore, bestowing his long – time friend a small smile. ''Besides even I am not completely sure of the way all the intricacies work. All I can say for sure right now is that Harry's and Voldemort's wands are connected due to sharing cores; Each of them contains a feather from the tail of the same phoenix.'' He paused as he watched Sirius suddenly shake his head and sit straighter in his chair and he knew the man remembered their conversation from almost three years ago, after Harry had emerged from the graveyard with Cedric Diggory's lifeless body, having just witnessed Voldemort's rebirth.

''This fact makes the two wands brothers, twins in a sense; They will not work properly against each other,'' he went on. ''If, however, the owners of the wands force the wands to do battle…a very rare effect will take place. One of the wands will force the other to regurgitate spells it has performed - in reverse. The most recent first and then those which preceded it.… As you can understand an occurence like that would be higly detrimental in the middle of a battle. Voldemort has become aware of this now and is apparently taking steps to eliminate the possibility of something like that happening again.''

''You mean this has happened befo – '' Lily's voice faded as her eyes widened in realization. Locking her gaze with her husband's she could see the scene replaying in his eyes; The dark, grim – looking cemetery, Harry and Voldemort locked in what was essentially a _deathly_ battle of wills, her and James's ghosts trying once again to protect him any way they could… _Staring at her son's face feeling she could spend a whole lifetime drinking him in and it still wouldn't be enough. _She saw James's face pale slightly and his lips pursing in a thin, white line at the reminder that once again their baby boy had danced so closely with the possibility of death.

Dumbledore nodded somberly at the Potters, understanding what kind of memories had suddenly inundated their mind. ''This is the best way I can explain it right now.'' he said addressing the whole room now. ''Nevertheless I am of the opinion this matter will be brought up again before the story is over.''

"**No volunteers?" said Voldemort. "Let's see … Lucius, I see no reason for you to have a wand anymore."**

''And it couldn't have happened to a nicer person,'' said Fred in such a low voice that only George and Lee heard him, who snorted in response. Neither was exactly heartbroken over Malfoy's fate.

**Lucius Malfoy looked up. His skin appeared yellowish and waxy in the firelight, and his eyes were sunken and shadowed. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse.**

"**My Lord?"**

"**Your wand, Lucius. I require your wand."**

"**I …"**

**Malfoy glanced sideways at his wife. She was staring straight ahead, quite as pale as he was, her long blonde hair hanging down her back, but beneath the table her slim fingers closed briefly on his wrist. At her touch, Malfoy put his hand into his robes, withdrew a wand, and passed it along to Voldemort, who held it up in front of his red eyes, examining it closely.**

"**What is it?"**

"**Elm, my Lord," whispered Malfoy.**

"**And the core?"**

"**Dragon – dragon hearts.''**

"**Good," said Voldemort. He drew out his wand and compared the lengths. Lucius Malfoy made an involuntary movement; for a fraction of a second, it seemed he expected to receive Voldemort's wand in exchange for his own. The gesture was not missed by Voldemort, whose eyes widened maliciously.**

Everyone tensed involuntarily, expecting a violent outburst from Voldemort.

"**Give you my wand, Lucius? My wand?"**

**Some of the throng sniggered.**

"**I have given you your liberty, Lucius, is that not enough for you? But I have noticed that you and your family seem less than happy of late … What is it about my presence in your home that displaces you, Lucius?"**

''Yes Lucius what is it?'' said Fred, addressing the book in all seriousness. ''Voldy – pants'' at that snickers broke out around the table ''would be such a pleasant houseguest! Never require mundane things such as food or water and he would fill the room with a nice gloomy bleak aura whenever he entered.''

''Honestly Lucius'' took over George, his equally deadpan expression eliciting even more snickers, '' one does not simply disregard such important qualities in a houseguest. All the poor bloke asks is your eternal service and possibly selling your soul to the devil. I fail to see what the big fuss is about.''

By the times the twins were done Lee was roaring with laughter and the rest of the room was in a similarly cheerful state, the tense atmosphere having been effectively shattered – if only for a while. Sirius laughed heartily, having recalled a conversation with the twins in which the nickname Voldypants was invented in an attempt to take their mind off things while they were waiting for their father to return from his visit to St. Mungo's, courtesy of that giant snake.

"**Nothing – nothing, my Lord!"**

"**Such lies Lucius…''**

**The soft voice seemed to hiss on even after the cruel mouth had stopped moving. One or two of the wizards barely repressed a shudder as the hissing grew louder; something heavy could be heard sliding across the floor beneath the table.**

The same thought flashed through several people's mind though nobody dared voice their opinion on what the thing emitting that hiss was; They were afraid they'd be proven right.

**The huge snake emerged to climb slowly up Voldemort's chair. It rose, seemingly endlessly, and came to rest across Voldemort's shoulders: its neck the thickness of a man's thigh; its eyes, with their vertical slits for pupils, unblinking.**

Charlie shuddered at the description. If Ron was afraid of spiders, Charlie absolutely detested snakes. Bill would tease him mercilessly for it; Big, fearless dragon tamer being reduced to a trembling mess from even the smallest snake.

**Voldemort stroked the creature absently with long thin fingers, still looking at Lucius Malfoy.**

"**Why do the Malfoys look so unhappy with their lot? Is my return, my rise to power, not the very thing they professed to desire for so many years?"**

"**Of course, my Lord," said Lucius Malfoy. His hand shook as he wiped sweat from his upper lip. "We did desire it – we do."**

**To Malfoy's left, his wife made an odd, stiff nod, her eyes averted from Voldemort and the snake. To his right, his son, Draco, who had been gazing up at the inert body overhead, glanced quickly at Voldemort and away again, terrified to make eye contact.**

"**My Lord," said a dark woman halfway down the table, her voice constricted with emotion, "it is an honor to have you here, in our family's house. There can be no higher pleasure."**

**She sat beside her sister, as unlike her in looks, with her dark hair and heavily lidded eyes, as she was in bearing and demeanor; where Narcissa sat rigid and impassive, Bellatrix leaned toward Voldemort, for mere words could not demonstrate her longing for closeness.**

Sirius let out a low yet feral growl at the mention of the crazed woman he had the huge misfortune of sharing blood particles with. Remus was torn between comforting his friend or his wife, who had had a similarly angry reaction to hearing that name. He also found he had a hard time quelling his own rage. He would never forget that fateful night at the Ministry, the night when his last true best friend was taken from him, when he was forced to accept the harsh reality that from now on he would be essentially alone, the last Marauder standing.

"**No higher pleasure," repeated Voldemort, his head tilted a little to one side as he considered Bellatrix.**

"**That means a great deal, Bellatrix, from you."**

**Her face flooded with color; her eyes welled with tears of delight.**

"**My Lord knows I speak nothing but the truth!"**

"**No higher pleasure … even compared with the happy event that, I hear, has taken place in your family this week?"**

**She stared at him, her lips parted, evidently confused.**

"**I don't know what you mean, my Lord."**

"**I'm talking about your niece, Bellatrix. And yours, Lucius and Narcissa. She has just married the werewolf, Remus Lupin. You must be so proud." **

Cheers erupted from around the table after a moment of surprised silence, followed by the sound of chairs scraping the floor as people got up to congratulate the soon – to – be – married couple.

''This is wonderful Remus!'' exclaimed Lily, beaming widely at her friend.

''And yet somehow it didn't occur to you to mention this little detail and we have to find out from Voldemort,'' James did his best to look bummed out but he couldn't conceal the joy from his expression as he hugged his best friend, quickly but fiercely. After seeing every single one of Remus's few romantic entaglements end up badly, he had really started to worry about him, though he made sure Remus never picked up on his slight concern. It just seemed that no matter how hard he tried, things just never worked out and a part of James feared the possibility of Remus becoming convinced that he wouldn't manage to maintain an actual relationship. He knew Sirius shared his concern though they both avoided bringing that subject up; Perhaps thinking if they didn't talk about it wouldn't be true. So the prospect of his friend being in such a comitted and loving relationship that would eventually end up in marriage, filled him with nothing but relief and happiness.

Remus gave him a knowing smile as he returned the hug, having spent enough time around James to recognise the sentiment behind his teasing words. Then he turned to face Sirius who, having congratulated his cousin's daughter, was standing in front of him his expression unusually earnest.

''I'm really, really glad for you Remus,'' he said before he too hugged him. ''I know that you two are going to be beyond happy together.''

Remus hadn't even managed to get out a thank you before he felt the urgent need to roll his eyes, _hard, _at Sirius's next words. ''Though I had to actually die for you to take my advice about that girl seriously and do something about that shitload of chemistry between you… I feel a bit disregarded Moony.''

Charlie gave a warm hug to Tonks that she returned just as eagerly. He was truly happy for her. True once upon a time they had both entertained the idea of maybe becoming something more than just friends but nothing ever actually developed and now he figured it was for the best. It was clear every time she looked at Remus how in love with him she was.

After everyone else had expressed their delight about the news they returned to their seats to get on with the story. No one noticed the dark look that had flitted across James's face after hearing Sirius joke so casually about his death.

**There was an eruption of jeering laughter from around the table. Many leaned forward to exchange gleeful looks; a few thumped the table with their fists. The giant snake, disliking the disturbance, opened its mouth wide and hissed angrily, but the Death Eaters did not hear it, so jubilant were they at Bellatrix and the Malfoys' humiliation. **

''Their obvious devotion to each other never ceases to amaze me,'' drawled Ginny.

''They really are a pleasant lot aren't they,'' added Fred brightly, both comments eliciting laughter from several people in the room.

**Bellatrix's face, so recently flushed with happiness, had turned an ugly, blotchy red.**

"**She is no niece of ours, my Lord," she cried over the outpouring of mirth. "We – Narcissa and I – have never set eyes on our sister since she married the Mudblood. This brat has nothing to do with either of us, nor any beast she marries."**

''And I can't stress my immense relief for this enough,'' said Tonks, her eyes flashing, trying not to let the fact that her husband had just been called a beast affect her.

"**What say you, Draco?" asked Voldemort, and though his voice was quiet, it carried clearly through the catcalls and jeers. "Will you babysit the cubs?" **

**The hilarity mounted;**

Many people around the room looked at the book tempestuously.

**Draco Malfoy looked in terror at his father, who was staring down into his own lap, then caught his mother's eye. She shook her head almost imperceptibly, then resumed her own deadpan stare at the opposite wall.**

"**Enough," said Voldemort, stroking the angry snake. "Enough."**

**And the laughter died at once.**

"**Many of our oldest family trees become a little diseased over time," he said as Bellatrix gazed at him, breathless and imploring, "You must prune yours, must you not, to keep it healthy? Cut away those parts that threaten the health of the rest."**

"**Yes, my Lord," whispered Bellatrix, and her eyes swam with tears of gratitude again. "At the first chance!"**

Instead of being angry at such a statement, Sirius and Tonks experienced a weird sort of exhilaration at not being _healthy_ enough for the likes of Bellatrix and Voldemort. They were the disgrace of their family and damn proud of it.

"**You shall have it," said Voldemort. "And in your family, so in the world … we shall cut away the canker that infects us until only those of the true blood remain …"**

Scoffs broke out around the table as they were presented with more proof of just how insane Voldemort and his ''crusade'' were.

**Voldemort raised Lucius Malfoy's wand, pointed it directly at the slowly revolving figure suspended over the table, and gave it a tiny flick. The figure came to life with a groan and began to struggle against invisible bonds.**

"**Do you recognize our guest, Severus?" asked Voldemort.**

**Snape raised his eyes to the upside down face. All of the Death Eaters were looking up at the captive now, as though they had been given permission to show curiosity. As she revolved to face the firelight, the woman said in a cracked and terrified voice, "Severus! Help me!"**

"**Ah, yes," said Snape as the prisoner turned slowly away again.**

''So 'e knows ze poor woman and yet 'e steel does nozing to 'elp 'er ; She's begging!'' cried Fleur outranged, as she went on employing several creative french curse words – too worked up to keep using english. Fleur had had less than a few interactions with Snape and every new information she found out about him made her more and more grateful for that fact.

"**And you, Draco?" asked Voldemort, stroking the snake's snout with his wand-free hand. Draco shook his head jerkily. Now that the woman had woken, he seemed unable to look at her anymore.**

"**But you would not have taken her classes," said Voldemort. "For those of you who do not know, we are joined here tonight by Charity Burbage who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."**

The Marauders, Lily and the Longbottoms all gasped as they recognised that name from their time at Hogwarts.

''She was a couple years ahead of us remember Lily?'' said Alice, her eyes widening in shock as she turned to look at her friend who was more pale than usual.

''Yeah… she was nice…'' replied Lily a bit numbly. Both women recalled the friendly, down – to – earth girl who, despite being older, didn't look down on them instead she always found time to help them with homework or give them advice whenever they needed it.

McGonagall was equally distressed about the identity of the woman. While she had never had any kind of bond with Professor Burbage other than strictly professional, she still respected the woman and supported her ideas and beliefs. She was struggling to come to terms with the fact that such a bright, sensible person would have such an awful fate.

Dumbledore didn't show any signs of agitation over that piece of news, though his voice did sound more tense as he continued reading.

**There were small noises of comprehension around the table. A broad, hunched woman with pointed teeth cackled.**

''Oh yeah it's downright bloody hilarious'' said Bill becoming more disturbed with each sentence.

"**Yes … Professor Burbage taught the children of witches and wizards all about Muggles … how they are not so different from us … "**

''That's because they aren't you prejudiced piece of shit'' shouted Ginny heatedly, causing her brothers to snigger and her mother to cry out ''Ginevra Molly Weasley!''

**One of the Death Eaters spat on the floor. Charity Burbage revolved to face Snape again.**

"**Severus … please … please … "**

People around the room regarded the book with mounting apprehension. Much as they wanted to convince themselves otherwise, nobody believed Charity Burbage would make it out of there still breathing.

"**Silence," said Voldemort, with another twitch of Malfoy's wand, and Charity fell silent as if gagged.**

"**Not content with corrupting and polluting the minds of Wizarding children, last week Professor Burbage wrote an impassioned defense of Mudbloods in the Daily Prophet. Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge and magic. The dwindling of the purebloods is, says Professor Burbage, a most**

**desirable circumstance … She would have us all mate with Muggles … or, no doubt, werewolves… "**

Though they tried not to, many people stole a furtive glance at Remus. He however showed no sign of reaction to the werewolf comment; Rather he was looking impassively at Dumbledore, his face expressionless.

**Nobody laughed this time. There was no mistaking the anger and contempt in Voldemort's voice. For the third time, Charity Burbage revolved to face Snape. Tears were pouring from her eyes into her hair.**

**Snape looked back at her, quite impassive, as she turned slowly away from him again.**

"**Avada Kedavra"**

Dumbledore did his best to read that line as slowly and calmly as he could, knowing the ones around him would react badly and feeling rattled by it himself. However his well – intentioned attempt was for nothing since the reactions were still pretty intense. It came as a shock, even though practically everybody expected something along these lines to happen sooner or later. Many sucked in a startled breath while others sat straighter and in a more rigid manner in their chairs. Tears pricked Molly's eyes but she refused to let them fall. They tried to convince themselves it was the sudden way Voldemort had pronounced the curse that caused them to act like that but deep down they all knew that was far from the truth. One would think that after everything they had been through, every cruel, gruesome, unfair thing they had bore witness to death wouldn't affect them like that. But it was quite the opposite. Every new casualty, every life that was taken only served as a reminder of the countless others before them, all those people whose lives had ended so suddenly and viciously, victims of a wrong, pointless, unfair war that didn't seem to end. Every day the body count was rising, every day their defences were failing, every day they were losing another modicum of hope that they would see the end of this war alive, that this war would end at all.

**The flash of green light illuminated every corner of the room. Charity fell, with a resounding crash, onto the table below, which trembled and creaked. Several of the Death Eaters leapt back in their chairs. Draco fell out of his onto the floor.**

"**Dinner, Nagini," said Voldemort softly, and the great snake swayed and slithered from his shoulders onto the polished wood.**

**A/N: If you're reading this it means you finished the chapter which… congratulations! I would really appreciate it if you left me some feedback with your thoughts about what you liked or what you didn't so I'll be able to improve it in the coming chapters. So please hit the little blue button and leave a review. It will only take you a minute but it would honestly make my day! **


	2. In Memoriam

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter; Never have, never will. Just borrowing the characters for a spin. (I have a feeling this is going to get really old really fast)**

**A/N: First of all a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed and/or favourited this story/put in on story alert. You guys are honestly amazing!**

**Well…I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter. I feel like there are things I could add or change, but I wanted to put it up before I left for a week for my village where there is no internet connection. So if you could leave a review saying that you liked it (or that you didn't) it would really mean the world to me!**

''The next chapter is called _In Memoriam_,'' said Dumbledore as he turned the page. ''Unless someone else would like to read?'' he looked enquiringly around the room.

There were no volunteers though. Everyone was feeling nauseated from the last words of the previous chapter and Alice, Lily and Molly were looking positively ill from the visual of Charity Burbage's body being offered as dinner to that snake.

After a few minutes in which everyone regained their composure but still no wish to take the book was uttered, Dumbledore peered down at the page and began reading again.

**Chapter 2**

**In Memoriam**

**Harry was bleeding**.

''What? Why is he bleeding? It's too early for him to be bleeding!'' Lily's voice had a frantic edge to it. Wasn't the last chapter enough? Now she had to hear about her son bleeding on top of it?

''It's Harry. We should be concerned when he's not bleeding'' laughed George. However one glance at Lily's worried face across the table from him, as well as his mother's reprimanding gaze made it quite clear that his poor attempt of a joke did not have the coveted results.

''Don't worry Lils,'' said James, taking her hands in his and starting to rub circles with his thumb in a comforting manner. ''It's probably a papercut or something like that. I'm sure it's nothing serious.'' His voice was light yet the moment Lily looked the other way, his features hardened. If what they had read so far was any indication, he had a strong feeling they were going to hear about much more disturbing things happening to his son than what was in all likelihood a simple cut.

**Clutching his right hand in his left and swearing under his breath, he shouldered open his bedroom door. There was a crunch of breaking china. He had trodden on a cup of cold tea that had been sitting on the floor outside his bedroom door.**

''What the - ? '' said James baffled. Who would put a cup of tea outside a bedroom door where it would surely be stepped on and _why_?

**"What the -?"**

''Well he's definitely your son Prongs'' chortled Sirius.

**He looked around, the landing of number four, Privet Drive, was deserted. Possibly the cup of tea was Dudley's idea of a clever booby trap.**

Lily's head snapped up. After Privet Drive was mentioned she figured it was a common name or maybe she had misheard but with Dudley being mentioned right after it couldn't be a coincidence much as she wished it so.

''Um…Professor?'' she interrupted Dumbledore's reading because she had to know, even if she was dreading the answer. ''When you say Privet Drive you don't actually mean…?'' her voice faded as she saw the aged wizard lower his eyes, guilt shining in them. She just stared at him, at loss for words.

James looked at his wife, concerned. ''What is it love?''

''Don't you remember?'' she said, tearing her accusing gaze from her former Headmaster. ''Privet Drive is where Tuney and Vernon moved after they got married.''

''Oh right I still remember that one and only time they invited us over. I swear the most dull, conservative neighbourhood I've ever seen. And Merlin, the house. No house should ever be allowed to be so clean.''

''So is that why you threw that dungbomb on your way out?'' smirked Sirius who, along with Remus and Alice, had been forced to endure Lily complaining incessantly after that visit, about how James was a moronic arse without a shred of tact, how Petunia hated her even more now even though she had nothing to do with it, how James could be sure he was going to get very well acquainted with the living room couch in the coming months.

''Oi! I've told you a million times that was a mistake,'' cried James, looking apprehensively at Lily lest she started shouting at him again. He had gotten his fill when it had happened, there really was no need for a repeat.

But his wife was too caught up in what the implications of that place being mentioned were to get worked up about that long – ago incident. ''Ugh don't you get it? Harry's most likely living there!''

''What? No way! Harry can't be living with…Vermin,'' exclaimed James, his face a mix of disbelief and slight disgust.

''Unfortunately he can mate,'' said Remus slowly, as if that way it would it be less of a blow. Remus had a vague idea of how everyday life was with the Dursleys but he was sure that there were many things Harry had left out or glossed over whenever they could get him to talk about it.

''But…I don't understand. Why does he have to stay there, of all places?'' asked Lily in a nervous voice.

''Petunia Dursley is Harry's last living relative. After you two were no longer able to care for him, it was imperative that he be brought in a safe place away from any Deatheaters who might look for vengeance.''

''That is all good and well but it still doesn't explain why he had to live with these people. I'm sure that Sirius or Remus would be more than capable to take excellent care of him,'' James looked confidently at his best mates.

''Like I said Mr Potter, Petunia Dursley is Harry's last blood – related relative. After your death a powerful protection spell was created, one that in order to work emphasized the need that Harry be under the same roof with familial relations.''

Seeing his answer had created even more questions, he hastened to add ''If the book doesn't explain the situation I assure you that I will clear up any misunderstandings when the time is opportune. However right now we need to move on with the story therefore I simply have to ask you to trust in my judgement.''

The Potters seemed mollified after that, though James couldn't help but mumble ''They'd better treat him right.''

McGonagall heard it and looked down with a frown. Even after 16 years she could still recall the less than stellar opinions she had formed on the Dursleys after an entire day of observing them as well as her pleas at Dumbledore not to leave the boy in their care. Of course she had come to understand the necessity of that action after everything that happened, however she was still apprehensive. She prayed from the bottom of her heart that the Dursleys had changed in all those years, that they had in fact appreciated the addition to their family and given the Harry the home and affection every child needs and deserves.

**Keeping his bleeding hand elevated, Harry scraped the fragments of cup together with the other hand and threw them into the already crammed bin just visible inside his bedroom door. Then he tramped across to the bathroom to run his finger under the tap.**

**It was stupid, pointless, irritating beyond belief that he still had four days left of being unable to perform magic…**

Lily suppressed a sigh. She could still remember the small toddler zooming around on his toy broomstick, giving her a wide, toothless smile that would light up his whole face after each successful flight. And now he would be seventeen in four short days, an adult for all intents and purposes. She glanced at James. She had missed so much; They both had.

James however was smiling. This was exactly how he had felt in the days leading up to his 17th birthday and his official permission to use magic whenever he wished. It warmed his heart to know he and his son had more in common than just their looks.

**but he had to admit to himself that this jagged cut in his finger would have defeated him. He had never learned how to repair wounds, and now he came to ****think of it – particularly in light of his immediate plans – this seemed a serious flaw in his magical education. **

Molly's eyebrows came together and her expression hardened imperceptibly. She had a pretty good idea what his plans entailed and she'd be damned if she let him or the other two actually complete them. They were just children for Merlin's sake.

**Making a mental note to ask Hermione how it was done, he used a large wad of toilet paper to mop up as much of the tea as he could before returning to his bedroom and slamming the door behind him. **

''Hermione? Who is she? A lady friend?'' James inquired with a larger – than – normal smile, perking up at the prospect of his son's success in the romance department.

''They're just friends James don't go getting any ideas,'' cut in Remus, noticing the way Ginny's eyes had narrowed at James' insinuation of something going between Hermione and Harry.

''Yeah besides the girl's taken, even if she doesn't realize it yet,'' at his mother's admonishing glare Fred continued a bit defendingly ''What? It's about time she and Ron took their heads out of their arses and saw what's right in front of them.''

Everyone who knew the complicated relationship between Ron and Hermione snickered at the less than elegant way Fred put what they had all thought at some point.

**Harry had spent the morning completely emptying his school trunk for the first time since he had packed it six years ago.**

''Why would he need to empty it completely?'' wondered Alice but no one responded.

**At the start of the intervening school years, he had merely skimmed off the topmost three quarters of the contents and replaced or updated them, leaving a layer of general debris at the bottom – old quills, desiccated beetle eyes, single socks that no longer fit. Minutes previously, Harry had plunged his hand into this mulch, experienced a stabbing pain in the fourth finger of his right hand, and withdrawn it to see a lot of blood.**

_So that's where the bleeding came from, _thought Lily, appeased at least that it wasn't something more serious.

**He now proceeded a little more cautiously. Kneeling down beside the trunk again, he groped around in the bottom and, after retrieving an old badge that flickered feebly between **_**SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY**_** and **_**POTTER STINKS,**_

''Okay am I the only one who finds it weird that Harry would keep that stupid badge in his trunk?'' asked Lee, partly because he was honestly curious and partly because he didn't want anyone to linger on the casual mention of Cedric Diggory and be reminded of his cruel, unfair death.

''Yeah it doesn't make sense,'' replied Ginny. She had never worn that insulting badge and it was beyond her why Harry of all people would keep it.

''Harry is a weird bloke,'' shrugged Fred and George added smirking ''You especially should know that by now, sister dear.''

Ginny's response was a hard shove in his ribs that nearly got him thrown off his chair, followed by an innocent smile.

''Hold on a minute, why would someone make a badge like that?'' asked Remus, before James had another chance to become more curious than any parent should be about their children's love life. ''Was there some sort of rivalry between Harry and Cedric?''

''Well it happened in his fourth year during the Triwizard Tournament when both Harry and Cedric were Hogwarts' champions and many people thought Harry had cheated – ''

''My son competed in the the Triwizard Tournament?'' all but bellowed James cutting Lee off in mid – sentence.

''And he was only fourteen?'' shrieked Lily.

Sirius and Remus shared a look and sensing immediate danger, sprang in action.

''Okay guys let's all try to relax and communicate in less ear – splitting tones shall we?'' said Sirius in an attempt to placate the riled – up parents. ''We all know Harry survived it and he actually did exceptionally well'' at that he looked sharply around the room causing a chorus of yeahs and definitelys to be heard along with rigorous nods.

''In fact he even went so far as to win the tournament,'' piped in Remus, choosing to omit the exact details of that win. For some reason he figured it wouldn't exactly help carry across the point they were trying to make.

''Fine then,'' said James, still annoyed but conceding. ''_Fine._ But when this book is over there is some serious explaining to be done,'' he added and Lily vehemently agreed.

**a cracked and worn-out Sneakoscope, and a gold locket inside which a note signed R.A.B. had been hidden, he finally discovered the sharp edge that had done the damage. He recognized it at once. It was a two-inch-long fragment of the enchanted mirror that his dead godfather, Sirius, had given him. Harry laid it aside and felt cautiously around the trunk for the rest, but nothing more remained of his godfather's last gift except powdered glass, which clung to the deepest layer of debris like glittering grit.**

''You gave him the mirror?'' James turned to Sirius with a wide smile.

''Yeah I did,'' he replied, relieved that James seemed calmer. ''He never used it though…'' he muttered so low that no one heard him, his voice tinged with sadness.

**Harry sat up and examined the jagged piece on which he had cut himself, seeing nothing but his own bright green eye reflected back at him. Then he placed the fragment on top of that morning's Daily prophet, which lay unread on the bed, and attempted to stem the sudden upsurge of bitter memories, the stabs of regret and of longing the discovery of the broken mirror had occasioned, by attacking the rest of the rubbish in the trunk.**

A bitter smile formed in Sirius' lips.

**It took another hour to empty it completely, throw away the useless items, and sort the remainder in piles according to whether or not he would need them from now on. His school and Quidditch robes, cauldron, parchment, quills, and most of his textbooks were piled in a corner, to be left behind.**

''What does that mean, left behind? He needs that stuff for school why…'' Lily trailed off until her eyes widened suddenly and she leapt to her feet. ''Harry James Potter you had better not be dropping out of school!'' she said sternly, not minding the fact that she was essentially talking to a book and there was no way for her son to hear her.

''I'm afraid that is precisely what he is doing. There is a very important reason however for his actions, one that will surely be explained as we continue with the story,'' said Dumbledore quickly but in a decisive tone. He knew the boy well enough to be able to understand that all the information he discovered last year coupled with having to watch his Headmaster die in front of his eyes, would serve only to strenghten his resolve to put an end to Voldemort's reign of terror. And he was the only one who had a hope of succeeding, Dumbledore had made sure that was well – embedded in Harry's mind.

Lily hadn't managed to get a word in edgeways so she could do nothing more but sit down, looking sullen.

**He wondered what his aunt and uncle would do with them; burn them in the dead of night, probably, as if they were evidence of some dreadful crime.**

Everyone who knew the Dursleys' stance against magic huffed slightly.

**His Muggle clothing, Invisibility Cloak, potion-making kit, certain books, the photograph album Hagrid had once given him, a stack of letters, and his wand had been repacked into an old rucksack. In a front pocket were the Marauder's Map and the locket with the note signed R.A.B. inside it.**

''He has that map of yours too?'' asked Lily while James was grinning so widely it seemed his face would split in half.

''Yeah he found it during his third year, though he never said how he came across it or how he managed to work out the way to use it,'' said Remus thoughtfully in response.

''Guilty,'' said the twins in unison and with everyone's curious looks directed on them, George hastened to explain.

''We snatched the Map from Filch's office in our first year and it really was an invaluable possession,'' he smirked at the obvious pleasure in the faces of the three men across the table, ''but by our fifth year it seemed that dear old Harry needed more than we did, so we passed it down to him. We had no idea though, at the time, that that map was practically his legacy until Sirius let slip what your nicknames were and we figured it out.''

''Honestly it is a marvelous piece of work'' added Fred, admiration clearly written on both their faces.

''Still, how did you guys manage to use it?'' asked Sirius puzzled. When they had put the spells on the map they had taken extra care to make sure that its secrets would be revealed only to those who knew the right phrase.

''Well we didn't at first - we tried several spells, writing on it but nothing worked''

''And then just when we were starting to get desperate, I shouted the phrase not really expecting anything to happen and well, something did.''

''Never let it be said that Fred and George Weasley willingly walked away from possible prank material,'' they both said in solemn voices, eliciting snorts from their siblings.

''They are just as bad as that lot aren't they,'' said Lily gesturing to the three men at her left.

''You have no idea,'' said Molly and the two women exchanged a look of exasperation mingled with fondness as the five men in question beamed mischievously at each other.

**The locket was accorded this place of honor not because it was valuable – in all usual senses it was worthless – but because of what it had cost to attain it.**

''This locket was mentioned once before if I'm not mistaken. What exactly was the cost?'' asked Kingsley, making up all sorts of grim possibilities in his head.

''A single, invaluable, too long life,'' said Dumbledore in a solemn voice and resumed reading before anyone could pose the question that presented itself in their minds after that statement. Surely he couldn't mean…?

**This left a sizable stack of newspapers sitting on his desk beside his snowy owl, Hedwig: one for each of the days Harry had spent at Privet Drive this summer.**

**He got up off the floor, stretched, and moved across to his desk. Hedwig made no movement as he began to flick through newspapers, throwing them into the rubbish pile one by one. The owl was asleep or else faking; she was angry with Harry about the limited amount of time she was allowed out of her cage at the moment.**

**As he neared the bottom of the pile of newspapers, Harry slowed down, searching for one particular issue that he knew had arrived shortly after he had returned to Privet Drive for the summer; he remembered that there had been a small mention on the front about the resignation of Charity Burbage, the Muggle Studies teacher at Hogwarts.**

Some flinched at the mention of Charity Burbage, while the current members of the Order narrowed their eyes at the book. So the Prophet was entirely untrustworthy now, not even bothering to report the vile acts of Voldemort and his merry band of murderers.

**At last he found it. Turning to page ten, he sank into his desk chair and reread the article he had been looking for.**

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE REMEMBERED**

**By Elphias Doge**

Dumbledore looked up from the book. ''We can skip this if you'd like. I doubt it contains anything of relevance to the rest of the book.''

However everyone seemed eager to read about their Headmaster and friend, so Dumbledore had no choice but to clear his throat and begin, in slightly strained voice.

**I met Albus Dumbledore at the age of eleven, on our first day at Hogwarts. Our mutual attraction was undoubtedly due to the fact that we both felt ourselves to be outsiders. I had contracted dragon pox shortly before arriving at school, and while I was no longer contagious, my pock-marked visage and greenish hue did not encourage many to approach me. For his part, Albus had arrived at Hogwarts under the burden of unwanted notoriety. Scarcely a year previously, his father, Percival, had been convicted of a savage and well-publicized attack upon three young Muggles. Albus never attempted to deny that his father (who was to die in Azkaban) had committed this crime; on the contrary, when I plucked up courage to ask him, he assured me that he knew his father to be guilty.**

**Beyond that, Dumbledore refused to speak of the sad business, though many attempted to make him do so. Some, indeed, were disposed to praise his father's action and assumed that Albus too was a Muggle-hater. They could not have been more mistaken: As anybody who knew Albus would attest, he never revealed the remotest anti-Muggle tendency. Indeed, his determined support for Muggle rights gained him many enemies in subsequent years.**

**In a matter of months, however, Albus's own fame had begun to eclipse that of his father. By the end of his first year he would never again be known as the son of a Muggle-hater, but as nothing more or less than the most brilliant student ever seen at the school. Those of us who were privileged to be his friends benefited from his example, not to mention his help and encouragement, with ****which he was always generous. He confessed to me later in life that he knew even then that his greatest pleasure lay in teaching.**

**He not only won every prize of note that the school offered, he was soon in regular correspondence with the most notable magical names of the day, including Nicolas Flamel, the celebrated alchemist; Bathilda Bagshot, the noted historian and Adalbert Waffling, the magical theoretician. Several of his papers found their way into learned publications such as Transfiguration Today, Challenges in Charming, and The Practical Potioneer. Dumbledore's future career seemed likely to be meteoric, and the only question that remained was when he would become Minister of Magic. Though it was often predicted in later years that he was on the point of taking the job, however, he never had Ministerial ambitions.**

**Three years after we had started at Hogwarts, Albus's brother, Aberforth, arrived at school. They were not alike: Aberforth was never bookish and, unlike Albus, preferred to settle arguments by dueling rather than through reasoned discussion. However, it is quite wrong to suggest, as some have, that the brothers were not friends. They rubbed along as comfortably as two such different boys could do. In fairness to Aberforth, it must be admitted that living in Albus's shadow cannot have been an altogether comfortable experience. Being continually outshone was an occupational hazard of being his friend and cannot have been any more pleasurable as a brother. When Albus and I left Hogwarts we intended to take the then-traditional tour of the world together, visiting and observing foreign wizards, before pursuing our separate careers. However, tragedy intervened. On the very eve of our trip, Albus's mother, Kendra, died, leaving Albus the head and sole breadwinner of the family. I postponed my departure long enough to pay my respects at Kendra's funeral, then left for what was now to be a solitary journey. With a younger brother and sister to care for, and little gold left to them, there could no longer be any question of Albus accompanying me.**

**That was the period of our lives when we had least contact. I wrote to Albus, describing, perhaps insensitively, the wonders of my journey, from narrow escapes from chimaeras in Greece to the experiments of the Egyptian alchemists. His letters told me little of his day-to-day life, which I guessed to be frustratingly dull for such a brilliant wizard. Immersed in my own experiences, it was with horror that I heard, toward the end of my year's travels, that another tragedy had struck the Dumbledores: the death of his sister, Ariana.**

**Though Ariana had been in poor health for a long time, the blow, coming so soon after the loss of their mother, had a profound effect on both of her brothers. All those closest to Albus – and I count myself one of that lucky number – agree that Ariana's death, and Albus's feeling of personal responsibility for it (though, of course, he was guiltless), left their mark upon him forevermore.**

**I returned home to find a young man who had experienced a much older person's suffering. Albus was more reserved than before, and much less light-hearted. To add to his misery, the loss of Ariana had led, not to a renewed closeness between Albus and Aberforth, but to an estrangement. (In time this ****would lift – in later years they reestablished, if not a close relationship, then certainly a cordial one.) However, he rarely spoke of his parents or of Ariana from then on, and his friends learned not to mention them.**

**Other quills will describe the triumphs of the following years. Dumbledore's innumerable contributions to the store of Wizarding knowledge, including his discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, will benefit generations to come, as will the wisdom he displayed in the many judgments while Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. They say, still, that no Wizarding duel ever matched that between Dumbledore and Grindelwald in 1945. Those who witnessed it have written of the terror and the awe they felt as they watched these two extraordinary wizards to battle. Dumbledore's triumph, and its consequences for the Wizarding world, are considered a turning point in magical history to match the introduction of the International Statute of Secrecy or the downfall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.**

**Albus Dumbledore was never proud or vain; he could find something to value in anyone, however apparently insignificant or wretched, and I believe that his early losses endowed him with great humanity and sympathy. I shall miss his friendship more than I can say, but my loss is nothing compared to the Wizarding world's. That he was the most inspiring and best loved of all Hogwarts headmasters cannot be in question. He died as he lived: working always for the greater good and, to his last hour, as willing to stretch out a hand to a small boy with dragon pox as he was on the day I met him.**

After Dumbledore finished reading silence prevailed for a few minutes. No one could think of something to say, not only because the obituary had reawakened their sadness over this great man's death, but also because the stuff mentioned there made it quite clear that most of them didn't know Dumbledore even half as well as they thought.

Dumbledore, for his part, was experiencing a rush of affection for Elphias who had stuck by him and been a loyal friend throughout the years. However he couldn't quell a small but steady feeling of foreboding. Doge's words had painted a saint – like picture of him that he knew couldn't be further from the truth. No matter how admired and acclaimed his achievements were, they would never erase the guilt and shame that rose inside him whenever he considered his grievous mistakes. He shuddered to think of his past being exposed through this book, of Harry and everyone here finding out the destructive results of his youthful pride and delusion, of losing their respect.

_However_, he thought sternly to himself, _there is nothing to be done now. I will deal with it if and when such a time comes, _and with renewed resolve he went on reading.

**Harry finished reading, but continued to gaze at the picture accompanying the obituary. Dumbledore was wearing his familiar, kindly smile, but as he peered over the top of his half-moon spectacles, he gave the impression, even in newsprint, of X-raying Harry, whose sadness mingled with a sense of humiliation.**

**He had thought he knew Dumbledore quite well, but ever since reading this obituary he had been forced to recognize that he had barely known him at all. ****Never once had he imagined Dumbledore's childhood or youth; it was as though he had sprung into being as Harry had known him, venerable and silver-haired and old. The idea of a teenage Dumbledore was simply odd, like trying to imagine a stupid Hermione or a friendly Blast-Ended Skrewt.**

Snorts were heard around the table. Several people realized they had shared these thoughts up until this moment.

**He had never thought to ask Dumbledore about his past. No doubt it would have felt strange, impertinent even, but after all it had been common knowledge that Dumbledore had taken part in that legendary duel with Grindelwald, and Harry had not thought to ask Dumbledore what that had been like, nor about any of his other famous achievements. No, they had always discussed Harry, Harry's past, Harry's future, Harry's plans… and it seemed to Harry now, despite the fact that his future was so dangerous and so uncertain, that he had missed irreplaceable opportunities when he had failed to ask Dumbledore more about himself, even though the only personal question he had ever asked his headmaster was also the only one he suspected that Dumbledore had not answered honestly:**

**"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"**

**"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."**

Dumbledore smiled slightly. Harry would be quite shocked to know that the image the mirror presented to the both of them was similar in so many aspects.

If anyone had questions about what kind of mirror that was or what Dumbledore saw in it, they kept them to themselves.

**After several minutes' thought, Harry tore the obituary out of the Prophet, folded it carefully, and tucked it inside the first volume of Practical Defensive Magic and its Use against the Dark Arts. Then he threw the rest of the newspaper onto the rubbish pile and turned to face the room. It was much tidier.**

**The only things left out of place were today's Daily Prophet, still lying on the bed, and on top of it, the piece of broken mirror.**

**Harry moved across the room, slid the mirror fragment off today's Prophet, and unfolded the newspaper. He had merely glanced at the headline when he had taken the rolled-up paper from the** **delivery owl early that morning and thrown it aside, after noting that it said nothing about Voldemort. Harry was sure that the Ministry was leaning on the Prophet to suppress news about Voldemort. It was only now, therefore, that he saw what he had missed.**

**Across the bottom half of the front page a smaller headline was set over a picture of Dumbledore striding along, looking harried:**

**DUMBLEDORE – THE TRUTH AT LAST?**

''What is that supposed to mean now?'' said Tonks, curius.

''Well whatever it is it's featured in the Prophet so I'd take it with a grain of salt,'' replied Remus.

''Yeah, or a gallon,'' said Arthur, still upset about the fact that the Prophet had completely glossed over Charity Burbage's death.

**Coming next week, the shocking story of the flawed genius considered by many to be the greatest wizard of his generation. Striping away the popular image of serene, silver-bearded wisdom, Rita Skeeter reveals the disturbed childhood, the lawless youth, the life-long feuds, and the guilty secrets that Dumbledore carried to his grave. WHY was the man tipped to be the Minister of Magic content to remain a mere headmaster? WHAT was the real purpose of the secret organization known as the Order of the Phoenix? HOW did Dumbledore really meet his end?**

At the end of the paragraph everyone was groaning, exasperation clearly written on the face of all those who had experienced the ridiculousness that is Rita Skeeter's writing.

''Well that settles it then. There is no way I'll believe anything that comes out of that hag's mouth,'' said Bill in a matter – of – fact tone, bringing in the forefront of his mind the panic she had caused with her ambiguous yet portent article after the Deatheaters sighting at the Quidditch World Cup.

''So I take it she hasn't improved that much in all those years?'' asked Frank, picturing in his mind the stuck – up girl, constantly bragging about becoming a world – renown journalist.

''I don't know 'ow she was then, but she is certainly not to be taken seriously now,'' said Fleur in an angry sort of voice, still sour over the way the woman had completely overlooked her while she was reporting the Triwizard Tournament. She wasn't that vain, not really, but well, a reporter is supposed to be impartial and objective. Two words that were the exact opposite of Rita Skeeter.

**The answers to these and many more questions are explored in the explosive new biography, **_**The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore**_**, by Rita Skeeter, exclusively interviewed by Betty Braithwaite, page 13, inside.**

''Scintillating title,'' deadpanned Sirius. ''Can't wait to read the rest.''

**Harry ripped open the paper and found page thirteen. The article was topped with a picture showing another familiar face: a woman wearing jeweled glasses with elaborately curled blonde hair, her teeth bared in what was clearly supposed to be a winning smile, wiggling her fingers up at him. Doing his best to ignore this nauseating image, Harry read on.**

''Good thinking Harry, ignorance is bliss in this case,'' Fred told the book approvingly.

**In person, Rita Skeeter is much warmer and softer than her famously ferocious quill-portraits might suggest.**

Both George and Ginny looked very much as if they wished to comment on that remark, but they refrained.

**Greeting me in the hallway of her cozy home, she leads me straight into the kitchen for a cup of tea, a slice of pound cake and, it goes without saying, a steaming vat of freshest gossip.**

**"Well, of course, Dumbledore is a biographer's dream," says Skeeter. "Such a long, full life. I'm sure my book will be the first of very, very many."**

**Skeeter was certainly quick off the mark. Her nine-hundred-page book was completed in a mere four weeks after Dumbledore's mysterious death in June. I ask her how she managed this superfast feat.**

''Oh, it's quite easy really,'' said Fred in a contemplative tone, as if he had actually been posed the question. ''Make half of the stuff up in your head, paraphrase interviews from people who care more about seeing their name on the press than the effects their statements will have, throw in a couple cliched phrases and ta – da you have a book!''

**"Oh, when you've been a journalist as long as I have, working to a deadline is second nature. I knew that the Wizarding world was clamoring for the full story and I wanted to be the first to meet that need."**

''I think I'm going to stick with Fred's explanation,'' said Charlie with a small giggle.

**I mention the recent, widely publicized remarks of Elphias Doge, Special Advisor to the Wizengamot and longstanding friend of Albus Dumbledore's, that "Skeeter's book contains less fact than a Chocolate Frog card."**

''At least someone has retained their common sense,'' snapped McGonagall, looking quite upset at the implied accusations Skeeter was aiming at her dear friend and colleague.

**Skeeter throws back her head and laughs.**

**"Darling Dodgy! I remember interviewing him a few years back about merpeople rights, bless him. Completely gaga, seemed to think we were sitting at the bottom of Lake Windermere, kept telling me to watch out for trout."**

''Honestly, can someone even exchange two words with her without suffering total character annihilation afterwards?'' cried Lily frustrated.

**And yet Elphias Doge's accusations of inaccuracy have been echoed in many places.**

''Shocker,'' drawled Molly, causing many surprised snickers to be heard around the table, most originating from her children.

**Does Skeeter really feel that four short weeks have been enough to gain a full picture of Dumbledore's long and extraordinary life?**

''No…?''

**"Oh, my dear," beams Skeeter, rapping me affectionately across the knuckles, "you know as well as I do how much information can be generated by a fat bag of Galleons, a refusal to hear the word 'no,' and a nice sharp Quick-Quotes Quill! People were queuing to dish the dirt on Dumbledore anyway. Not everyone thought he was so wonderful, you know – he trod on an awful lot of important toes. But old Dodgy Doge can get off his high hippogriff, because I've had access to a source most journalists would swap their wands for, one who has never spoken in public before and who was close to Dumbledore during the most turbulent and disturbing phase of his youth."**

Dumbledore was having difficulty keeping the worry put of his voice. He was well aware Rita Skeeter was untrustworthy at the very least, however this time he had a strong feeling there was a certain amount of truth in her words. There was only one person he could think of who fit the description of her source and if she had managed to uncover information about that time… But no he was positive Bathilda would never reveal such intimate details to someone like Skeeter.

**The advance publicity for Skeeter's biography has certainly suggested that there will be shocks in store for those who believe Dumbledore to have led a blameless life. What were the biggest surprises she uncovered, I ask?**

**"Now, come off it. Betty, I'm not giving away all the highlights before anybody's bought the book!" laughs Skeeter. "But I can promise that anybody who still thinks Dumbledore was white as his beard is in for a rude awakening! Let's just say that nobody hearing him rage against You-Know-Who would have dreamed that he dabbled in the Dark Arts himself in his youth! And for a wizard who spent his later years pleading for tolerance, he wasn't exactly broad-minded when he was younger! Yes, Albus Dumbledore had an extremely murky past, not to mention that very fishy family, which he worked so hard to keep hushed up."**

Many people shook their heads affronted. _Dabbled in the Dark Arts? _As if a suggestion as absurd as that would ever be true.

However a little bit of color drained from Dumbledore's face without anyone noticing. How could Skeeter know such a thing? Only three people except him had knowledge of that and each was less likely to talk than the other.

Lily exchanged a quick look with Sirius before they both turned the other way, the same thought plaguing their mind. The letter, the one she had sent him right after Harry's first birthday, the last words of it still rang loud and clear. But how could something like that ever be true?

**I ask whether Skeeter is referring to Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth, whose conviction by the Wizengamot for misuse of magic caused a minor scandal fifteen years ago.**

**"Oh, Aberforth is just the tip of the dung heap," laughs Skeeter. "No, no, I'm talking about much worse than a brother with a fondness for fiddling about with goats, worse even than the Muggle-maiming father – Dumbledore couldn't keep either of them quiet anyway, they were both charged by the Wizengamot.**

**No, it's the mother and the sister that intrigued me, and a little digging uncovered a positive nest of nastiness – but, as I say, you'll have to wait for chapters nine to twelve for full details. All I can say now is, it's no wonder Dumbledore never talked about how his nose got broken."**

Dumbledore's lips curved into something like a smile as everyone's eyes turned involuntarily to his face, which then morphed into a grimace as he recalled the events of that fateful day.

**Family skeletons notwithstanding, does Skeeter deny the brilliance that led to Dumbledore's many magical discoveries?**

**"He had brains," she concedes, "although many now question whether he could really take full credit for all of his supposed achievements. As I reveal in chapter sixteen, Ivor Dillonsby claims he had already discovered eight uses of dragon's blood when Dumbledore 'borrowed' his papers."**

''Because it is just so uncommon of people to try and get their five minutes of fame by diminishing someone else's achievements and claiming them as their own'' scoffed Ginny, shaking her head. Honestly, this woman was impossible!

**But the importance of some of Dumbledore's achievements cannot, I venture, be denied. What of his famous defeat of Grindelwald?**

**"Oh, now, I'm glad you mentioned Grindelwald," says Skeeter with such a tantalizing smile. "I'm afraid those who go dewy-eyed over Dumbledore's spectacular victory must brace themselves for a bombshell – or perhaps a Dungbomb. Very dirty business indeed. All I'll say is, don't be so sure that there really was a spectacular duel of legend. After they've read my book, people may be forced to conclude that Grindelwald simply conjured a white handkerchief from the end of his wand and came quietly!"**

''Well that's just the biggest load of shite I've ever heard,'' cried Hagrid, his black eyes flashing with rage.

''Someone needs to teach that woman the meaning of respect,'' said Mad – Eye calmly, though the hints of menace in his voice were unmistakeable.

Everyone else seemed just as disgusted at Skeeter's attempts to disregard one of Dumbledore's greatest accomplishments.

**Skeeter refuses to give any more away on this intriguing subject, so we turn instead to the relationship that will undoubtedly fascinate her readers more than any other.**

**Oh yes," says Skeeter, nodding briskly, "I devote an entire chapter to the whole Potter-Dumbledore relationship. It's been called unhealthy, even sinister. Again, your readers will have to buy my book for the whole story, but there is no question that Dumbledore took an unnatural interest in Potter from the word go. Whether that was really in the boy's best interests – well, we'll see. It's certainly an open secret that Potter has had a most troubled adolescence."**

''Someone please tell me she didn't just insinuate what I think she did!'' James almost shouted, looking even more appalled now. Lily beside him was furious. That woman had crossed a line mentioning her son in such a manner.

Dumbledore could also feel anger rising inside him. He could ignore the jabs and insults at him, had done so for numerous years. Going as far as to disgrace a caring relationship and involving another person in her tangled web of lies and truths bent to her will was another matter entirely.

**I ask whether Skeeter is still in touch with Harry Potter, whom she so famously interviewed last year: a breakthrough piece in which Potter spoke exclusively of his conviction that You-Know-Who had returned.**

''Harry actually gave an interview to her?'' asked Lily, unable to keep the disbelief from her voice.

''It was the only option he had left at the time,'' replied Ginny, who had had Hermione give her a detailed account of that meeting, reveling in Skeeter's humiliation from a fifteen year old girl. ''The Ministry was swearing up and down that Voldemort had not returned, so Harry had to do something to open those idiots' eyes. Besides it wasn't Skeeter's most pleasant experience,'' she went on, her lips curving in an evil smirk. ''She was forced to publish it in the Quibbler, and without any payment.''

Though she was satisfied with hearing that, Lily, along with the majority of people in the room, was still finding it hard to believe that Harry would actually trust someone like her with such an important piece of news.

**"Oh, yes, we've developed a closer bond," says Skeeter. "Poor Potter has few real friends, and we met at one of the most testing moments of his life – the Triwizard Tournament. I am probably one of the only people alive who can say that they know the real Harry Potter."**

After that sentence, everyone who could claim to be close to Harry couldn't help control their mirth and as a result the only sound in the room for a few minutes was loud guffaws of laughter. Sirius was actually in danger of falling off his chair.

''Merlin that has to be one of the most ludicrous things I've ever heard,'' said George a bit breathlessly as Lee and Ginny were wiping tears from their eyes.

''She really is barmy,'' agreed Bill after regaining his composure.

**Which leads us neatly to the many rumors still circulating about Dumbledore's final hours. Does Skeeter believe that Potter was there when Dumbledore died?**

**"Well, I don't want to say too much – it's all in the book – but eyewitnesses inside Hogwarts castle saw Potter running away from the scene moments after Dumbledore fell, jumped, or was pushed. Potter later gave evidence against Severus Snape, a man against whom he has a notorious grudge. Is everything as it seems? That is for the Wizarding community to decide – once they've read my book."**

''So let me get this straight,'' said Remus, his voice heated, devoid now of any of the previous cheerfulness. ''First she claims to be close friends with Harry and the next second she turns around and what, accuses him of murder?''

It was clear from the Potters' wrathful expressions that they were sharing his sentiments; They seemed too infuriated to find words at the moment.

''I swear if I had her in front of me right now I'd…'' Sirius' voice faded to a level that only he could make out, though it wasn't hard to guess what he was saying. Similar inflamed opinions were circling everyone's mind.

**On that intriguing note, I take my leave. There can be no doubt that Skeeter has quilled an instant bestseller. Dumbledore's legion of admirers, meanwhile, may well be trembling at what is soon to emerge about their hero. **

''I really don't know which is more ridiculous; The bestseller notion or anyone who would actually believe a single word contained in that pathetic excuse for a book,'' huffed Tonks still boiling in anger as everyone voiced their agreement.

**Harry reached the bottom of the article, but continued to stare blankly at the page. Revulsion and fury rose in him like vomit; he balled up the newspaper and threw it, with all his force, at the wall, where it joined the rest of the rubbish heaped around his overflowing bin.**

**He began to stride blindly around the room, opening empty drawers and picking up books only to replace them on the same piles, barely conscious of what he was doing, as random phrases from Rita's article echoed in his head: **_**An entire chapter to the whole Potter-Dumbledore relationship ... It's been called unhealthy, even sinister ... He dabbled in the Dark Arts himself in his youth ... I've had access to a source most journalists would swap their wands for...**_

**"Lies!" Harry bellowed, and through the window he saw the next-door neighbor, who had paused to restart his lawn mower, look up nervously.**

''Ah there is that famous Potter anger we had been missing,'' said Fred in a bright but kind of forced voice, in an attempt to lighten up the tense atmosphere.

**Harry sat down hard on the bed. The broken bit of mirror danced away from him; he picked it up and turned it over in his fingers, thinking, thinking of Dumbledore and the lies with which Rita Skeeter was defaming him...**

''Don't believe them for a second Harry,'' said James encouragingly. ''Come on, you know better than to trust anything out of that hag's mouth!''

Dumbledore felt dread pooling in his stomach. The very last thing Harry needed at that crucial point in his life was to start having doubts about someone he trusted to guide him and provide him with sound advice – Dumbledore was aware that the boy viewed him as such – and Rita Skeeter had planted the seeds for this exact thing.

**A flash of brightest blue.**

People looked at each other confusedly.

**Harry froze, his cut finger slipping on the jagged edge of the mirror again. He had imagined it, he must have done. He glanced over his shoulder, but the wall was a sickly peach color of Aunt Petunia's choosing: There was nothing blue there for the mirror to reflect. He peered into the mirror fragment again, and saw nothing but his own bright green eye looking back at him. **

James and Sirius looked at each other perplexed. They both knew very well how the mirror worked and it was higly impossible to portray something the way it was just described in the book… unless someone else had a similar mirror. But who could possess something like that?

**He had imagined it, there was no other explanation; imagined it, because he had been thinking of his dead headmaster. If anything was certain, it was that the bright blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore would never pierce him again.**


	3. The Dursleys Departing

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter; If I did I would never doubt my writing skills again.**

**A/N: Again a huge thank you to everyone who has shown interest in this story. You guys mean the world to me!**

**I'm sorry for the wait. I intended to have it up sooner but I experienced some kind of writer's block; Basically I noticed the lack of reviews for the last chapter and it made me doubt whether this story is any good and if you guys enjoy reading the stuff I write. The more doubtful I got the more I procrastinated writing and so…**

**Also I have some **_**bad **_**news. College has started again which means that I won't have as much time to write. I promise to try my best to complete the chapters as soon as possible but I'm afraid from now on updates will be a bit on the slow side. Hope you'll stick with me and won't abandon the story ;)**

''I would like a chance to read Albus, if you don't mind,'' said Kingsley in a gentle voice. He could see quite clearly that his friend was rather shaken – up after everything he had read. No matter if they were true or not, it still had to be upsetting to have such intimate details about your life exposed in a cavalier, purposefully hurtful manner. Even more so since it was Dumbledore himself who had given voice to them. Kingsley figured he deserved some time to fully regain his composure.

Dumbledore glanced at the man at his left and wordlessly handed him the thick novel. Then he took to staring at the hands, intertwined in his lap, a closed – off expression on his face.

Kingsley took the book and after a last, worried look at Dumbledore, he focused on the pages in front of him. He was particularly eager to find out what would happen next, even if he felt a bit ashamed, considering the first two chapters hadn't exactly left much hope of their reading material becoming any less grim any time soon.

**Chapter 3**

**The Dursleys Departing**

**The sound of the front door slamming echoed up the stairs and a voice roared, "Oh! You!" **

**Sixteen years of being addressed thus left Harry in no doubt when his uncle was calling, nevertheless, he did not immediately respond. He was still at the narrow fragment in which, for a split second, he had thought he saw Dumbledore's eye. It was not until his uncle bellowed, "BOY!" that Harry got slowly out of bed and headed for the bedroom door, pausing to add the piece of broken mirror to the rucksack filled with things he would be taking with him.**

''You know the first glimpse of the relationship Harry has with the Dursleys is not what I would call positive,'' remarked James in a conversational tone, yet those who knew him well could see the tell – tale signs of a storm brewing.

Lily, beside him, was not as successful in concealing her disapprovement. ''That…Vermin doesn't even have the decency of calling him by his name?'' she said disbelievingly. She hadn't used that nickname in years in an attempt to show some respect towards her sister, but now it just slipped and she couldn't find it in her to regret it.

"**You took you time!" roared Vernon Dursley when Harry appeared at the top of the stairs, "Get down here. I want a word!"**

Arthur and Hagrid both sighed, each one recalling their own _unsuccessful_ attempts to ''have a word'' with Vernon Dursley. Granted the circumstances had been different each time, but still. This was going to be a fun conversation.

**Harry strolled downstairs, his hands deep in his pants pockets. **

Sirius snorted.

**When he searched the living room he found all three Dursleys. They were dressed for packing; Uncle Vernon in an old ripped-up jacket and Dudley, Harry's, large, blond, muscular cousin, in his leather jacket.**

"**Yes?" asked Harry.**

"**Sit down!" said Uncle Vernon. Harry raised his eyebrows. "Please!" added Uncle Vernon, wincing slightly as though the word was sharp in his throat.**

''God forbid he is actually polite to the boy who's been living in his house for sixteen years and oh yeah is his only nephew, for once in his stupid, pathetic life,'' growled Ginny before she glanced warily at her mother, expecting a reprimand for her language.

Molly, however, was too busy glaring at the book with contempt to remember to yell at her daughter. Besides, deep down, she wholeheartedly agreed with her.

**Harry sat. He though he knew what was coming. His uncle began to pace up and down, Aunt Petunia and Dudley, following his movement with anxious expressions. Finally, his large purple face crumpled with concentration. Uncle Vernon stopped in front of Harry and spoke.**

**"I've changed my mind," he said.**

**"What a surprise," said Harry.**

Snickers were heard around the room.

**"Don't you take that tone—" began Aunt Petunia in a shrill voice, but Vernon Dursley waved her down.**

''Don't _he _take that tone? Seriously?'' scoffed Tonks.

''Hypocrisy thy name is Petunia Dursley,'' added Charlie in the same tone.

Lily looked like she wanted to defend her sister, but after a few seconds she closed her mouth defeated.

**"It's all a lot of claptrap," said Uncle Vernon, glaring at Harry with piggy little eyes. "I've decided I don't believe a word of it. We're staying put, we're not going anywhere."**

**Harry looked up at his uncle and felt a mixture of exasperation and amusement. Vernon Dursley had been changing his mind every twenty four hours for the past four weeks, packing and unpacking and repacking the car with every change of heart. Harry's favorite moment had been the one when Uncle Vernon, unaware that Dudley had added his dumbbells to his case since the last time it been repacked, had attempted to hoist it back into the boot and collapsed with a yelp of pain and much swearing.**

Everyone who had met Dudley and Vernon collapsed in roars of laughter as they pictured the scene in their head.

''Merlin, I wish I could have seen it,'' gasped Fred and his twin nodded his agreement.

''I do believe this is the first time I feel proud of Ickle Diddykins,'' he added, signalling another bout of laughter from the group.

"**According to you," Vernon Dursley said, now resuming his pacing up and down the living room, "we – Petunia, Dudley, and I – are in danger. From – from –"**

"**Some of 'my lot' right?" said Harry. **

''An' a much better lot than yers Dursley,'' muttered Hagrid with a huff.

"**Well I don't believe it," repeated Uncle Vernon, coming to a halt in front of Harry again. "I was awake half the night thinking it all over, and I believe it's a plot to get the house."**

**"The house?" repeated Harry. "What house?"**

**"This house!" shrieked Uncle Vernon, the vein his forehead starting to pulse. " Our house! House prices are skyrocketing around here! You want us out of the way and then you're going to do a bit of hocus pocus and before we know it the deeds will be in your name and –"**

"**Are you out of your mind?" demanded Harry. "A plot to get this house? Are you actually as stupid as you look?"**

Laughter rose from the table.

''If he was thinking for half the night and that's the conclusion he came to, I'd wager yeah,'' chortled Lee.

''But why is Harry surprised? I mean I had my suspicions when I saw him but it became obvious after our first conversation,'' deadpanned James, exchanging a devious smirk with Sirius.

**"Don't you dare -!" squealed Aunt Petunia, but again Vernon waved her down. Slights on his personal appearance were it seemed as nothing to the danger he had spotted.**

''Oh yeah, cause Harry just can't bear the thought of being parted from that place which bears so many happy memories for him,'' said Ginny mockingly, though a hint of anger was evident in her voice. She had got Harry to open up a bit about his home life at one of their dates by the lake last term and the little he had told her had made her fiercely detest the Dursleys.

Her siblings sniggered but James and Lily exchanged a look that clearly showed they found no hilarity in the situation. With every sentence they were doubting more and more whether living in that house really was in their son's best interest as Dumbledore had insisted.

**"Just in case you've forgotten," said Harry, "I've already got a house, my godfather left me one. So why would I want this one? All the happy memories?"**

''I'm afraid my house doesn't exactly contain the best of memories either,'' said Sirius subdued as images of yelling, cursing, doors slamming, flesh hitting flesh came unbidden in his mind.

''But as far as Harry is concerned, it does,'' Remus told him earnestly. ''It's the only place where he got to spend time with you.''

Sirius considered these words and couldn't help but grin widely, all grim memories from his childhood being replaced by happy ones with Harry, even if they were few, as James clapped him on the shoulder. He knew when he decided to make Sirius godfather to his yet – unborn child, that his best mate would not let him down. Therefore it was an immense relief now to know that Harry had received the love and affection he deserved from someone, since at this point it seemed highly unlikely he had got such sentiments from the Dursleys.

**There was silence. Harry thought he had rather impressed his uncle with this argument.**

The dark look, which had never left Lily's face, returned to James' as well. Just how bad had Harry's life been there all these years?

**"You claim," said Uncle Vernon, starting to pace yet again, "that this Lord Thing –"**

Frank couldn't help but snicker at hearing Lord Voldemort being called that.

''I propose that Voldemort is henceforth renamed _this Lord Thing_,'' giggled Bill and there were many sounds of agreement mixed with laughter.

**"—Voldemort," said Harry impatiently, "and we've been through this about a hundred times already. This isn't a claim, it's fact. Dumbledore told you last year, and Kingsley and Mr. Weasley "**

Arthur and Kingsley exchanged a look as they recalled that visit. To say that it had turned out to be a waste of their time was an understatement.

**Vernon Dursley hunched his shoulders angrily, and Harry guessed that his uncle was attempting to ward off recollections of the unannounced visit, a few days into Harry's summer holidays, of two fully grown wizards. The arrival on the doorstep of Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley had come as a most unpleasant shock to the Dursleys. Harry had to admit, however that as Mr. Weasley had once demolished half of the living room, his reappearance could not have been expected to delight Uncle Vernon.**

The Weasleys and Lee – who had been told about the particularly eventful visit Mr. Weasley and three of his sons had paid the Dursley household, by Fred and George – exploded with laughter as they all remembered a certain incident that involved Dudley and a kind – of – unusual toffee.

''You demolished their living room? _Wicked! _Mate you have got to tell me how you managed that,'' James said eagerly, looking at Arthur with a gleam in his eyes that resembled the one he had at Hogwarts whenever he'd come up with a really great prank. Lily had a bemused expression on her face, as if she couldn't decide whether she should find this funny or be upset on her sister's behalf, while Sirius and Remus were openly laughing.

Arthur had opened his mouth to explain but one look at his wife's stern gaze made him think more wisely of his actions and instead wore a solemn expression without saying anything.

**"Kingsley and Mr. Weasley explained it all as well," Harry pressed on remorselessly, "Once I'm seventeen, the protective charm that keeps me safe will break, and that exposes you as well as me. The Order is sure Voldemort will target you, whether to torture you to try and find out where I am, or because he thinks by holding you hostage I'd come and try to rescue you."**

**Uncle Vernon's and Harry's eyes met. Harry was sure that in that instant they were both wondering the same thing.**

''Of course he would rescue them. Harry's too noble for his own good; He can't help it,'' said Ginny, sounding a bit sour. She should know; After all his damn nobility was more or less the reason they broke up.

**Then Uncle Vernon walked on and Harry resumed, "You've got to go into hiding and the Order wants to help. You're being offered serious protection, the best there is."**

**Uncle Vernon said nothing but continued to pace up and down. Outside the sun hung low over the privet hedges. The next door neighbor's lawn mower stalled again.**

''That lawn mower thing was mentioned once before if I'm not mistaken. How exactly does that work?'' said Alice, curiosity coloring her voice.

''Well, you see, it's a machine that runs off eckeltricity without needing any magic. Really corking devices, these are,'' said Arthur brightly.

''Really? How interesting,'' said Frank thoughtfully.

Molly, realizing that her husband was getting ready to start one of his long – winded speeches, jumping at the chance to talk about his beloved plugs and machines or whatever other ridiculous Muggle invention he was so inexplicably fond of, harried to intervene.

''Yes it's all very interesting but we can talk about it later after we're done.'' Ignoring Arthur's small pout, she motioned for Kingsley to resume reading.

**"I thought there was a Ministry of Magic?" asked Vernon Dursley abruptly.**

**"There is," said Harry, surprised.**

**"Well, then, why can't they protect us? It seems to me that, as innocent victims, guilty of nothing more than harboring a marked man, we ought to qualify for government protection!"**

**Harry laughed; he could not help himself. It was so very typical of his uncle to put his hopes in the establishment, even within this world that he despised and mistrusted.**

**"You heard what Mr. Weasley and Kingsley said," Harry replied.**

**"We think the Ministry has been infiltrated."**

**Uncle Vernon strode back to the fireplace and back breathing so strongly that his great black mustache rippled his face still purple with concentration.**

''You know, Dursley's descriptions are becoming my favorite thing in this book,'' whispered Tonks to Remus, who snickered in agreement.

**"All right," he said. Stopping in front of Harry get again. "All right, let's say for the sake of argument we accept this protection. I still don't see why we can't have that Kingsley bloke."**

**Harry managed not to roll his eyes, but with difficulty. This question had also been addressed half a dozen times.**

**"As I've told you," he said through gritted teeth, "Kingsley is protecting the Mug – I mean, your Prime Minister."**

**"Exactly – he's the best!" said Uncle Vernon, pointing at the blank television screen. The Dursleys had spotted Kingsley on the news, walking along the Muggle Prime Minister as he visited a hospital. ****This, and ****the fact that Kingsley had mastered the knack of dressing like a Muggle, not to mention a certain reassuring something in his slow, deep voice, had caused the Dursleys to take to Kingsley in a way that they had certainly not done with any other wizard, although it was true that they had never seen him with his earring on.**

''I'm not sure if I should be flattered,'' said Kingsley as he stopped reading for a moment, a bemused expression on his face.

''That's the best yer gonna get from 'em, trust me,'' said Hagrid half – joking, half – serious as he cocked his head to his left to look at Kingsley.

**"Well, he's taken," said Harry. "But Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle are more than up to the job –" **

''Poor people, diving headfirst in that minefield without any warning; They're not going to know what hit them,'' chortled Remus, feeling simultaneously bad for what his friends would have to endure and relieved that he wouldn't have to go through it as well.

**"If we'd even seen CVs…" began Uncle Vernon, but Harry lost patience.**

Fred did too. ''You know if you don't want our offer you're welcome to try and defend yourselves…and die after five seconds,'' he said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

''Save us the trouble,'' muttered Ginny, so low that only George, who was next to her, heard her. The redhead highly doubted her ability to act civilized, should she ever find herself in the Dursleys' presence.

**Getting to his feet, he advanced on his uncle, now pointing at the TV set himself.**

**"These accidents aren't accidents – the crashed and explosions and derailments and whatever else has happened since we last watched the news. People are disappearing and dying and he's behind it – Voldemort. I've told you this over and over again, he kills Muggles for fun. Even the fogs – they're caused by dementors, and if you can't remember what they are, ask your son!"**

Dark frowns appeared on the faces of the people for whom that bleak description was their daily life. The ones from the past looked around uneasily. They knew, of course, that things were far from alright, yet somehow, hearing that all those atrocities they had given their lives to prevent from happening were back in full force, made the threat that was looming before them seem even more real, even more menacing.

''Why would Dudley know anything about dementors?'' asked Charlie confused as he recalled the last line.

''I'm guessing Umbridge. She's the one who sent the dementors after Harry two years ago,'' said Ginny in a steely voice. ''And Harry was charged with performing underage magic in the presence of a Muggle. Two plus two…''

''Dudley was there as well,'' said Molly, her eyes widening with realization. ''Oh, the poor boy.'' She may think that Dudley was extremely spoiled and not exactly what anyone would call well - mannered but that didn't mean she wished the boy any harm; Least of all that way.

''And why is it that Umbridge felt the need to seek the most foul creatures of our world on my son?'' said Lily with her eyes narrowing.

Harry had given him a – kind of vague – account of the incident last summer in a discussion that had been painfully obviously an attempt to take both their minds off the awful thoughts that were plaguing them, so Remus tried to remember the boy's mumbled confessions.

''At that point no one else but Harry – and by default Dumbledore – insisted Voldemort had really returned,'' at that point he looked over at the older man and was glad to see he seemed to be recovering somewhat from the effects of last chapter and showing a more active interest in what was going on around him.

''Fudge did not want to face the consequences that would arise if Harry's allegation turned out to be true, so he did whatever he could to discredit both of them,'' he went on, choosing his words carefully so as not to further agitate James and Lily.

''Apparently Umbridge thought it would be beneficial if Harry just so happened to be attacked by dementors.''

''Yeah, for some time it was like the Prophet contained nothing else but insulting articles about the two of them,'' piped in Sirius sourly as he brought to his mind all the articles he had read during his last year, which basically portrayed his godson as an attention – craving, deluded boy and the greatest wizard of their generation as being too old and losing his grip. ''They were waiting to deliver the final blow after Harry got expelled for using underage magic trying to defend himself against the dementors – which didn't happen of course,'' he hastened to add as he saw the sullen faces of his best mate and his wife.

James pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to calm himself down. It wasn't the first time – and he was pretty sure it'd be far from the last as they carried on with the story – that he felt the regret of being separated so early and cruelly from Harry overwhelm him. It wasn't that he believed he could have prevented all those things from coming to pass, but at the very least he would have been able to offer some fatherly advice and comfort to his son.

Lily's eyes were flashing with anger as she looked at the bare walls of the room they had been for the last hour and would remain in until they were done reading. A fleeting thought entered her mind about who had written this book and why, how could they possibly know all those things. But she dismissed it quickly as the majority of her brain was focused on a single question. _Had the entirety of her son's life been nothing but pain and abandonment and people mistrusting and ridiculing him? _She really didn't want to believe it but with every new thing she learned it seemed more and more likely that it was the truth. And, honestly, she didn't even know how to begin processing that.

**Dudley's hands jerked upward to tower his mouth. With his parents' and Harry's eyes upon him, he slowly lowered them again and asked, "There are… more of them?"**

**"More?" laughed Harry. "More than the two that attacked us, you mean? Of course there are hundreds, maybe thousands by this time, seeing as they feed off fear and despair—"**

**"All right, all right," blustered Vernon Dursley. "You've made your point –"**

**"I hope so," said Harry, "because once I'm seventeen, all of them – Death Eaters, dementors, maybe even Inferi – which means dead bodies enchanted by a Dark wizard – will be able to find you and will certainly attack you. And if you remember the last time you tried to outrun wizards, I think you'll agree you need help."**

**There was a brief silence in which the distant echo of Hagrid smashing down a wooden front door seemed to reverberate through the intervening years.**

Everyone's eyes immediately turned to the half – giant who smiled as if recalling an old, fond memory.

''That's between me an' Harry,'' he said simply, amused by the sulky looks on the twins' faces. Both of them resolved at that moment that they would get that story out of either him or Harry somehow; Hagrid's refusal to divulge what had happened had piqued their interest.

**Aunt Petunia was looking at Uncle Vernon; Dudley was staring at Harry. Finally Uncle Vernon blurted out, "But what about my work? What about Dudley's school? I don't suppose those things matter to a bunch of layabout wizards –"**

**"Don't you understand?" shouted Harry. **_**"They will torture and kill you like they did my parents!"**_

Sirius and Remus flinched. No matter how many years passed, hearing these words still felt like a slap in the face.

Everyone else's gazes were trained on the young couple. Neither of them showed any signs of acknowledging their mention or even making eye contact with anybody in the room however, so Kingsley had no choice but to continue reading, albeit in a more subdued tone.

**"Dad," said Dudley in a loud voice, "Dad – I'm going with these Order people."**

''Could it be? Did Diddydums just say something sensible?'' said George, an amazed expression on his face.

**"Dudley," said Harry, "for the first time in your life, you're talking sense."**

''We were just as surprised Harry,'' said Fred shaking his head at the book in all seriousness.

The tense atmosphere was somewhat shattered as snickers broke out around the table.

**He knew the battle was won. If Dudley was frightened enough to accept the Order's help, his parents would accompany him. There could be no question of being separated from their Duddykins. Harry glanced at the carriage clock on the mantelpiece.**

Every time one of Dudley's ridiculous nicknames was mentioned the Marauders, along with the Weasley siblings, couldn't help but snort.

**"They'll be here in about five minutes,'' he said, and when none of the Dursleys replied, he left the room.**

**The prospect of parting—probably forever – from his aunt, uncle, and cousin was one that he was able to contemplate quite cheerfully but there was nevertheless a certain awkwardness in the air. What did you say to one another at the end of sixteen years' solid dislike?**

Lily narrowed her eyes menacingly after hearing the last sentences. She didn't harbor any delusions that Petunia and her husband would have played the part of caring, loving aunt and uncle, considering their attitude towards magic and everyone who uses it, especially her and James…Yet that book made it seem like even coexisting in a polite, civilized manner had not been possible either.

James balled his hands into fists as he turned to look at his old Headmaster. He had to force his voice to sound calm as he spoke.

''I know you asked us to trust you about Harry living with…them and we do…, but honestly right now that's not going to cut it. The animosity they have towards one another is more than obvious and I reckon we deserve some answers.''

Dumbledore lifted his head and stifled a weary sigh. It was clear that the affronted parents were not going to let the issue slide this time.

''I promise you that after the chapter ends, I will answer every question you have regarding the necessity of Harry's living arrangements.''

Lily gave a curt nod. Like James said, it wasn't that they didn't trust the aged wizard; one would have to be a fool to not trust Dumbledore. It's just…well hasn't their son been through enough without having to face hostility and unfounded prejudice against his own nature in a place that he considered his home?

The rest of the room watched the conversation silently. No one voiced it but they were all curious to hear the reasons Harry had had to endure the Dursleys' rude – to say the least – behavior toward him all his life. Hagrid and McGonagall had been there the night Dumbledore had placed the year – old baby on the threshold of Number 4 Privet Drive; Still they were fairly certain it was something more important than simply making sure Harry didn't grow up conceited. McGonagall recalled Dumbledore mentioning a protection spell… she had a vague memory of coming across an entry concerning powerful, complicated spells but the more she willed herself to remember, the more the memory eluded her until she gave up.

**Back in his bedroom, Harry fiddled aimlessly with his rucksack then poked a couple of owl nuts through the bats of Hedwig's cage. They fell with dull thuds to the bottom where she ignored them.**

**"We're leaving soon, really soon," Harry told her. "And then you'll be able to fly again."**

**The doorbell rang. Harry hesitated, then headed back out of his room and downstairs. It was too much to expect Hestia and Dedalus to cope with the Dursleys on their own.**

**"Harry Potter!" squeaked an excited voice, the moment Harry had opened the door; a small man in a mauve top hat that was sweeping him a deep bow. "An honor as ever!"**

**"Thanks, Dedalus," said Harry, bestowing a small and embarrassed smile upon the dark haired Hestia.**

Several people snorted at Dedalus' overexcitement.

**"It's really good of you to do this… They're through here, my aunt and uncle and cousin…"**

**"Good day to you, Harry Potter's relatives!" said Dedalus happily striding into the living room.**

''Honestly he couldn't have picked a less appropriate way of greeting them,'' said Bill, shaking his head. He made a mental note to warn them so they wouldn't walk unsuspectingly into the lion's den next time, forgetting for a moment that none of them would remember what they had read afterwards.

**The Dursleys did not look at all happy to be addressed thus; Harry half expected another change of mind. Dudley shrank neared to his mother at the sight of the witch and wizard.**

**"I see you are packed and ready. Excellent! The plan, as Harry has told you, is a simple one," said Dedalus, pulling an immense pocket watch out of his waistcoat and examining it. "We shall be leaving before Harry does. Due to the danger of using magic in your house –Harry being still underage it could provide the Ministry with an excuse to arrest him – we shall be driving, say, ten miles or so before Disapparating to the safe location we have picked out for you. You know how to drive, I take it?" he asked Uncle Vernon politely.**

**"Know how to –? Of course I ruddy well know how to drive!" spluttered Uncle Vernon.**

**"Very clever of you, sir, very clever. I personally would be utterly bamboozled by all those buttons and knobs," said Dedalus. He was clearly under the impression that he was flattering Vernon Dursley, who was visibly losing confidence in the plan with every word Dedalus spoke.**

Well this going pretty well wouldn't you say?'' remarked Sirius cheerfully, eliciting laughter from those next to him.

**"Can't even drive," he muttered under his breath, his mustache rippling indignantly, but fortunately neither Dedalus nor Hestia seemed to hear him.**

''Or maybe they are just polite enough to not comment, unlike certain other people,'' huffed Remus.

**"You, Harry," Dedalus continued, "will wait here for your guard. There has been a little change in the arrangements –"**

"**What d'you mean?" said Harry at once. "I thought Mad-Eye was going to come and take me by Side Along-Apparition?"**

**"Can't do it," said Hestia tersely, "Mad-Eye will explain."**

''Well considering our plan got more or less exposed we don't really have all that many options left,'' grunted Mad – Eye, feeling his anger at whoever that bloody source of Snape's was, rising inside him once more.

''But they don't know the key point at least,'' said Tonks in an attempt to find something positive out of this. The former Auror's cross expression didn't change, however.

James, Sirius, Lily, Alice and Frank looked from one person to another curiously, wondering what the plan was exactly. No one asked though. They were sure it would be revealed sooner or later.

**The Dursleys, who had listened to all of this with looks of utter incomprehension on their faces, jumped as a loud voice screeched, "Hurry up!" Harry looked all around the room before realizing the voice had issued from Dedalus's pocket watch.**

**"Quite right, we're operating to a very tight schedule," said Dedalus nodding at his watch and tucking it back into his waist coat. "We are attempting to time your departure from the house with your family's Disapparition, Harry thus the charm breaks the moment you all head for safety." He turned to the Dursleys, "Well, are we all packed and ready to go?"**

**None of them answered him. Uncle Vernon was still staring appalled at the bulge in Dedalus's waistcoat pocket.**

**"Perhaps we should wait outside in the hall, Dedalus," murmured Hestia. She clearly felt that it would be tactless for them to remain the room while Harry and the Dursleys exchanged loving, possibly tearful farewells.**

''I'm going to take a leap here and say there really is no need to worry about that,'' said Charlie, frowning as he could very well understand why Hestia would assume that. In any normal family a separation – especially a lengthy one – would be a cause for heightened emotions. And really how sad was it that in this case the separation would most likely be permanent, yet all any of them could experience was relief at the prospect of not seeing each other again.

**"There's no need," Harry muttered, but Uncle Vernon made any further explanation unnecessary by saying loudly, "Well, this is good-bye then boy."**

**He swung his right arm upward to shake Harry's hand, but at the last moment seemed unable to face it, and merely closed his fist and began swinging it backward and forward like a metronome.**

People shook their heads in a resigned manner and Ginny tried to pass her snort at Dursley's description as a cough.

**"Ready, Duddy?" asked Petunia, fussily checking the clasp of her handbag so as to avoid looking at Harry altogether.**

Lily pursed her lips disappointed.

**Dudley did not answer but stood there with his mouth slightly ajar, reminding Harry a little of the giant, Grawp.**

Hagrid was torn between laughing and feeling offended on his half - brother's behalf.

**"Come along, then," said Uncle Vernon.**

**He had already reached the living room door when Dudley mumbled, "I don't understand."**

**"What don't you understand, popkin?" asked Petunia looking up at her son.**

**Dudley raised a large, hamlike hand to point at Harry.**

**"Why isn't he coming with us?**

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia froze when they stood staring at Dudley as though he had just expressed a desire to become a ballerina.**

After the howls of laughter from picturing Dudley in pink tutu pirouetting around had died down, everyone was pretty much astonished at what Dudley had just said.

**"What?" said Uncle Vernon loudly.**

**"Why isn't he coming too?" asked Dudley.**

**"Well, he—doesn't want to," said Uncle Vernon, turning to glare at Harry and adding, "You don't want to, do you?"**

**"Not in the slightest," said Harry.**

**"There you are," Uncle Vernon told Dudley. "Now come on we're off."**

**He marched out of the room. They heard the front door open, but Dudley did not move and after a few faltering steps Aunt Petunia stopped too.**

**"What now?" barked Uncle Vernon, reappearing in the doorway.**

**It seemed that Dudley was struggling with concepts too difficult to put into words. After several moments of apparently painful internal struggle he said, "But where's he going to go?"**

**Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon looked at each other. It was clear that Dudley was frightening them.**

Fleur couldn't even begin to understand how messed up these people had to be, to actually feel frightened at their son expressing concern over his cousin's well – being. She thought of the close bond she shared with her family, how she missed them while she was in England and her heart went out to Harry for having been deprived of experiencing that kind of love and affection with his closest relatives.

**Hestia Jones broke the silence.**

**"But…surely you know where your nephew is going?" she asked looking bewildered.**

**"Certainly we know," said Vernon Dursley. "He's off with some of your lot, isn't he? Right, Dudley, let's get in the car, you heard the man, we're in a hurry.''**

**Again, Vernon Dursley marched as far as the front door, but Dudley did not follow.**

**"Off with some of **_**our**_** lot?"**

**Hestia looked outraged. Harry had met this attitude before. Witches and wizards seemed stunned that his closed living relatives took so little interest in the famous Harry Potter.**

''That's cause there's something seriously wrong with them,'' said Sirius angrily.

**"It's fine," Harry assured her. "It doesn't matter, honestly."**

**"Doesn't matter?" repeated Hestia, her voice rising considerably.**

**"Don't these people realize what you've been through? What danger you are in? The unique position you hold in the hearts of the anti Voldemort movement?"**

**"Er –no, they don't," said Harry. "They think I'm a waste of space, actually but I'm used to –"**

A muscle was playing in James' jaw as the majority of the people in the room glared at the book infuriated.

**"I don't think you're a waste of space"**

**If Harry had not seen Dudley's lips move, he might not have believed it.**

Ginny looked at the book feeling equally incredulous. Harry had not told her a lot about Dudley's behavior towards him, but from the little she knew it was crystal clear that the two boys despised each other. Was it possible that Dudley had had a change of heart?

**As it was, he stared at Dudley for several seconds before accepting that it must have been his cousin who had spoken; for one thing, Dudley had turned red. Harry was embarrassed and astonished himself.**

**"Well...er…thanks, Dudley."**

**Again, Dudley appeared to grapple with thoughts too unwieldy for expression before mumbling, "You saved my life,"**

**"Not really," said Harry. "It was your soul the dementor would have taken…"**

**He looked curiously at his cousin. They had had virtually no contact during this summer or last, as Harry had come back to Privet Drive so briefly and kept to his room so much. It now dawned on Harry, however, that the cup of cold tea on which he had trodden that morning might not have been a booby trap at all. Although rather touched, he was nevertheless quite relieved that Dudley appeared to have exhausted his ability to express his feelings. After opening his mouth once or twice more, Dudley subsided into scarlet-faced silence.**

**Aunt Petunia burst into tears.**

Lily's eyebrows rose practically to her hairline. Had her sister come to her senses after all as well?

**Hestia Jones gave her an approving look that changed to outrage as Aunt Petunia ran forward and embraced Dudley rather than Harry.**

Lily slumped a bit in her chair. She really should have known better than getting her hopes up after all this time.

**"S-so sweet, Dudders…" she sobbed into his massive chest. "S-such a lovely b-boy… s-saying thank you…"**

Frank and Alice exchanged a look, both rolling their eyes. Alice was finding it increasingly difficult to accept that that woman was actually related to the amazing person her best friend was.

**"But he hasn't said thank you at all!" said Hestia indignantly. "He only said he didn't think Harry was a waste of space!"**

**"Yeah, but coming from Dudley that's like 'I love you,'" said Harry, torn between annoyance and a desire to laugh as Aunt Petunia continued to clutch at Dudley as if he had just saved Harry from a burning building.**

**"Are we going or not?" roared Uncle Vernon, reappearing yet again at the living room door. "I thought we were on a tight schedule!"**

**"Yes –yes, we are," said Dedalus Diggle, who had been watching these exchanges with an air of bemusement and now seemed to pull himself together. "We really must be off. Harry –"**

**He tripped forward and wrung Harry's hand with both of his own.**

**"—good luck. I hope we meet again. The hopes of the Wizarding world rest upon your shoulders."**

''Well that's not going to make him anxious as hell or anything,'' said Lee bemused at Dedalus' behavior.

''Honestly it's like Dedalus has never heard of subtlety,'' chortled Tonks.

Arthur, however, was frowing. He didn't find any hilarity in placing such an impossible burden on a seventeen – year – old boy.

**"Oh," said Harry, "right. Thanks."**

**"Farewell, Harry," said Hestia also clasping his hand. "Our thoughts go with you."**

**"I hope everything's okay," said Harry with a glance toward Aunt Petunia and Dudley.**

**"Oh I'm sure we shall end up the best of chums," said Diggle slightly, waving his hat as he left the room. Hestia followed him.**

''Oh I do not doubt it for a second,'' said Fred sarcastically.

**Dudley gently released himself from his mother's clutches and walked toward Harry who had to repress an urge to threaten him with magic. Then Dudley held out his large, pink hand.**

**"Blimey, Dudley," said Harry over Aunt Petunia's renewed sobs, "did the dementors blow a different personality into you?"**

Everyone who had met Dudley was wondering the same thing at the moment.

**"Dunno," muttered Dudley, "See you, Harry."**

**"Yea …" said Harry, taking Dudley's hand and shaking it. "Maybe. Take care, Big D."**

**Dudley nearly smiled. Then he lumbered from the room. Harry heard his heavy footfalls on the graveled drive, and then a car door slammed.**

**Aunt Petunia, whose face had been buried in her handkerchief, looked around at the sound. She did not seem to have expected to find herself alone with Harry. Hastily stowing her wet handkerchief into her pocket, she said, "Well – good-bye" and marched towards the door without looking at him.**

**"Good-bye" said Harry.**

**She stopped and looked back. For a moment Harry had the strangest feeling that she wanted to say something to him; She gave him an odd, tremulous look and seemed to teeter on the edge of speech, but then, with a little shake of her head, she hustled out of the room after her husband and son.**

Lily let out a sigh. If only Petunia could let go of the hate and irrational prejudice she had stowed in her heart all those years. It hurt to think of all the things she could have experienced with her sister if the animosity between them had been resolved. They could have been able to enjoy each other's presence instead of firing insults practically whenever they crossed paths. Her and Harry could have comforted each other after her death. Her son would have grown up hearing stories about his mother and getting to know her in any little way he could - …

Before she could continue on that – slightly depressing – train of thought however, she saw her husband sit straighter in his chair and turn to face Dumbledore and she completely changed tracks. It was high time they found out what was so important that Harry had been forced to endure such an awful home life.

**A/N: Reviews are love people! The more I get the more inspired I'll be to write the next chapter ;)**


	4. The Seven Potters

**Disclaimer: Everything you see here and recognize? . .it. Capiche?**

**A/N: Hello, wonderful people who read my story. Thank you so, so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I smiled like a crazy person every time I got an email saying I had a new review! **

**I'm finally done with this chapter, which is officially the longest one I've ever written. **_**13.**__**111**__** words!**_** It's one of my favorites (in the book, not my own; I'm not **_**that**_** conceited) so I hope I did it justice. Hopefully you'll enjoy it! **

**P.S. : I apologize for any grammatical mistakes you may find. I try my best to write as correctly as possible, but considering English is not my first language and this story is unbeta'd, there are bound to be some things that I've missed. If you happen to come across such a mistake please, either bear with me or tell me in a PM, so I'll try to improve it. **

Dumbledore raised his eyes to look at the tense faces of the Potters, noted the expectation that was displayed clearly in the gazes of everyone else around him and sighed inwardly, trying to find the right words to explain the complicated decision he had made all those years ago without causing any more agitation.

''The first thing you need to understand,'' he started in a voice that was low yet still rang loud and clear in the silence that had engulfed the room, ''is that I did not make this decision lightly. I struggled with it many a time, I was aware Harry would not have the ideal childhood growing up in that house. However, my personal feelings aside, I knew what had to be done. I did not, for a second, believe that Voldemort was really gone after his failed attempt to murder Harry. He was weak, yes, and powerless for the time being, yet many of his supporters were still at large, desperate and angry, determined to avenge their master's downfall. And Voldemort would return. Be it ten, twenty or fifty years, at some point he _would_ return and knowing him, he would not rest until he killed the boy who had so unexpectedly survived. Therefore I had to make my decision bearing in mind the future.

Voldemort is a powerful wizard. Perhaps he is more powerful than me, perhaps not, but the fact remains that he is a fearsome opponent. I could not risk the chance of my competence in protective charms and spells not being enough, should he return to full power. So I turned to my last option.

Lily, you sacrificed your life to save your son,'' he didn't miss the way James flinched almost imperceptibly, ''and this action created a powerful, ancient spell that granted Harry lingering protection against the very thing you attempted to shield him from. That protection is in his blood, _your blood_, which flows in his veins to this day. However, in order for this charm to work, Harry needed to be in the same place as people who shared the same blood. And the only one who fulfills that condition is – ''

''My sister,'' said Lily, her voice no more than a whisper.

Dumbledore inclined his head at the red – haired woman. ''Your sister is your only remaining relative. So I had no choice but to deliver Harry to her.''

''But she hates Harry; they all do,'' interjected Ginny fiercely.

''Nevertheless she took him in. She may have done so grudgingly, unwillingly, may have regretted it sometimes but the important thing is, she gave him a place to live and she never took it back. As long as Harry can call this house his home, Voldemort cannot hurt him there. That is why it was imperative that he returned there, at least for a short while, every year.''

Even though it was not uttered in an accusatory tone and the bespectacled wizard didn't look at them, Molly and Arthur knew the last sentence was meant for them and they couldn't help but feel a smidgen of guilt for insisting, tentatively at first but more intensely as the years went by and Harry claimed a bigger part of their heart, that the boy stay with them for the entirety of the summer holidays. But they had no idea of the true reason Dumbledore denied their request each and every time. How could they?

''Does Petunia know about this?'' Lily wanted to know.

''She does indeed. I have explained the situation to her. She may not have showered Harry with love and affection, but she knew what would be on stake if she ever forbid him from living in her house. And she never did.''

Lily nodded as Dumbledore went on.

''Harry is aware of this and understands the necessity of his living arrangements. I realize this is not the best situation by far and were this an ideal situation, it would be the last thing I would have chosen. Nothing about this has been ideal however and even though Harry has been neither as happy nor as well – nourished as I would have liked, he is alive and that is the most significant part.''

The end of Dumbledore's long – winded explanation was met with silence as nobody knew quite what to say. Lily and James seemed somewhat mollified now that they knew the whole story. How could they complain about Harry living there when the alternative meant that he would've probably been dead a long time ago? True, their son may have been deprived of the loving home he had for the first year of his life, but at the very least he was safe and protected and while that did not excuse the Dursleys' behavior toward him in the slightest, deep down his well – being was all they asked for. A ghost of a smile hovered on Lily's lips. For all her sister pretended to be cold – hearted as far she was concerned, turns out she still cares; at least enough to protect her son.

Several others were not as satisfied, however. Harry's parents did not know the extent of the mistreatment the boy had received from his relatives. They hadn't seen the bars on his bedroom window as if he was a prisoner like Fred and George had; they hadn't taken notice of how skinny and tired he looked at the end of every summer like Molly had; they didn't know that he had to spend every Christmas and Easter holiday either at Hogwarts or at the Burrow because Ginny knew Harry refused to even entertain the possibility of staying at that house longer than was strictly necessary. The Weasleys did not have to look at each other to know they were in complete agreement. Just because Petunia Dursley appeared to have a shred of decency after all, it didn't suddenly erase her actions all those years; and it most definitely did not excuse the heinous behavior of her husband and son.

Seeing as no one seemed willing to voice their thoughts on the subject, Kingsley directed his attention back to the book that was now rested in his lap and slowly turned the page to get to the next chapter. Just as he opened his mouth however, he was interrupted.

''I'd like to read a chapter if that's okay,'' said Lee. His voice sounded tentative as if he wasn't sure he'd be allowed to.

Kingsley nodded and handed him the book.

''Sure thing,'' the Auror said and his reply was immediately followed by McGonagall's stern, ''I hope you will treat this reading material with more respect than you did the Quidditch commentary Mr. Jordan.''

Her words were all it took for Lee's strange tentativeness to disappear and a devilish smirk to form in his lips. The twins grinned widely, recalling the countless times McGonagall had had to scold their best friend for his imaginative and – more often than not – inappropriate comments during Quidditch games.

**Chapter 4**

**The Seven Potters**

Many sets of eyes turned to James, who shrugged noncommittally. He was just as curious about what the title meant as everyone else.

Mad – Eye's lips curved in a wry smile which then turned into a disappointed frown as the confused states of the people around the room indicated that no one had managed to connect the dots, save him. How could they hope to successfully execute such a precarious plan if they couldn't even recognize the key aspect of it?

**Harry ran back upstairs to his bedroom, arriving at the window just in time to see the Dursleys' car swinging out of the drive and off up the road. Daedalus' top hat was visible between Aunt Petunia and Dudley in the backseat. The car turned right at the end of Privet Drive, its windows burned scarlet for a moment in the now setting sun, and then it was gone.**

''Good riddance,'' mumbled George and Ginny nodded vehemently in agreement.

**Harry picked up Hedwig's cage, his Firebolt, and his rucksack,**

''Firebolt?'' asked Alice curiously.

''It's a broomstick; the best model there is in fact,'' replied Ginny, always willing to discuss anything Quidditch – related.

''Of course it is! Harry's an awesome Quidditch player, he needs an awesome broomstick!'' shouted James enthusiastically before remembering that he actually had no clue as to whether Harry even played Quidditch – though he doubted his son used his broomstick for spring cleaning – let alone if he was any good at it. Deflating a bit, he asked, ''He is, isn't he?''

''Much as I'd love to see your face if I told you no,'' began Remus teasingly, ''he really is a good player. Very good.''

''Yeah, he joined in his first year and we became the best team Hogwarts had even seen!'' said Fred loudly, with a kind of fierce reverence that sounded a lot like Oliver Wood's intense pep talks before every big game.

''He might be even better than you Prongs and that's saying something,'' chimed in Sirius.

James was smiling proudly but inside he felt a stab of annoyance. Pretty much everyone must have seen his son on broomstick except him and he was the one who deserved it more than anyone right? But James quickly shook himself out of it. He couldn't change the past and quite honestly he was glad Harry's talent was recognized; even if it wasn't by him.

''Knew I shouldn't have let you give him that toy broomstick. All those damn Potter genes,'' Lily told Sirius with a mock – disgruntled expression though her shining eyes were telling a different story. In truth she was soaking up every piece of information she got about her son, trying to form the puzzle of the sixteen years of his life that she had been absent from. And while during her first few years at Hogwarts she failed to see the appeal of Quidditch, which turned perfectly fine students into crazy fanatics, she had come to appreciate it by seventh year, especially when she discovered how handy a broomstick could be for a moonlit ride in the Quidditch field, hair getting all tangled, two strong arms holding her safely, that irresistible voice murmuring in her ear… It was nice to know her husband and son shared the ability to fly so well.

''I hope he doesn't go around spending his money on expensive things, though,'' Lily went on, a hint of worry now lacing her voice. She wasn't against owning a broomstick and she understood the necessity of it, given that Harry was in the house team, yet she _was _against him making a habit out of splurging on things. He would need the money in order to make a living and it wasn't like he had any family that would come through with a loan, if need be.

''The broomstick was a gift actually,'' said Sirius, a strange sort of smile forming on his lips.

''But who would… You?'' asked James, his eyes widening as the man next to him nodded.

''Don't look so surprised; I've been known to have a good idea every once in a while.''

''Indeed,'' said James smirking, as he happily clapped his best mate in the back.

''Sirius Black, you are impossible!'' declared Lily exasperated, though she couldn't conceal her fond smile.

''Why, thank you Lily. You are too kind.''

**gave his unnaturally tidy bedroom one last sweeping look, and then made his ungainly way back downstairs to the hall, where he deposited cage, broomstick, and bag near the foot of the stairs. The light was fading rapidly, the hall full of shadows in the evening light. It felt most strange to stand here in the silence and know that he was about to leave the house for the last time. Long ago, when he had been left alone while the Dursleys went out to enjoy themselves, the hours of solitude had been a rare treat. Pausing only to sneak something tasty from the fridge, he had rushed upstairs to play on Dudley's computer, or put on the television and flicked through the channels to his heart's content. It gave him an odd, empty feeling remembering those times; it was like remembering a younger brother whom he had lost.**

''Trust Harry to feel wistful about that kind of memories,'' said Remus, his expression a mix between amusement and exacerbation.

"**Don't you want to take a last look at the place?" he asked Hedwig, who was still sulking with her head under her wing. "We'll never be here again. Don't you want to remember all the good times? I mean, look at this doormat. What memories…**

''Exactly how can a _doormat _of all things hold any memories and good ones at that?'' asked James incredulously as Lily tried to stifle her grin and the Weasley children were laughing loudly.

''You would spawn this weirdo,'' Sirius shoved his best mate playfully. James shoved back and pretty soon the two grown men were behaving like five – year – olds, kicking and shoving each other.

''_Children!_'' Remus all but shouted._ ''_I'll take you to the playground later if you behave.''

''Aw, you promise, Moony?'' asked Sirius, while James looked at him wide – eyed, strongly resembling a puppy. Remus rolled his eyes, his lips twitching in attempt to stop them from forming a smile as Lily and Alice roared with laughter. Even if Remus acted annoyed by their antics, deep down he relished in them, each and every time. It had been too long since the last time they had acted so silly, teasing and laughing with each other. He had missed them so much.

**Dudley sobbed on it after I saved him from the dementors…Turns out he was grateful after all, can you believe it? … And last summer, Dumbledore walked through that front door … "**

**Harry lost the thread of his thoughts for a moment and Hedwig did nothing to help him retrieve it, but continued to sit with her head under her wing.**

Dumbledore smiled ruefully.

"**And under here, Hedwig" – Harry pulled open a door under the stairs – "is where I used to sleep! You never knew me then – Blimey, it's small, I'd forgotten … "**

**Harry looked around at the stacked shoes and umbrellas remembering how he used to wake every morning looking up at the underside of the staircase, which was more often than not adorned with a spider or two.**

Lee's voice seemed to echo off the walls in the complete silence that had fallen after he read the last sentence, as those around him tried to comprehend what they had just heard.

''Would you mind reading that again?'' James asked him in a slow voice and the dreadlocked man could not tell which sight was more frightening; James' eerie calmness as he stood up and braced his hands on the wooden surface in front of him, that was obviously the calm before the storm, Lily's eyes that were flashing with rage as clasped her hands together so tightly her knuckles were white or the expressions of everyone else, which ranged from utter disbelief and bewilderment to downright fury.

Lee started reading once more, not wanting to believe it yet unable to erase the words that were right in front of him, but his low, uncertain voice was cut off by the sound of James' leg as it connected with his chair and sent it tumbling to the floor.

''This has to be a fucking joke!'' he shouted, looking at the distraught faces around the table as if daring someone, anyone to come forward and say _we're just pulling your leg – of course something like that would never happen_. The more no one spoke or made a move though, the angrier he got. Lily put a hand on his shoulder in a should – be – soothing manner but she was way too worked up herself to offer any actual comfort. Any warm, fuzzy feelings she may have had for her sister after Dumbledore's explanation were gone now. Vanished.

''Did you know about this?'' McGonagall demanded, turning to face Dumbledore, nostrils flaring, her whole demeanor asking her old friend to assure her that no, he didn't, how could he? _Surely if he had known he would have done something to prevent it, stop it? Surely he would not have let such a blatant mistreatment of a child go on without intervening? _Before Dumbledore had a chance to answer however, they were distracted by Sirius letting out a stream of creative curse words.

''I should have known,'' he muttered, not seeming to address anyone in particular. No one agrees to go live with an escaped convict, who he just met and up until then was convinced said convict was out to get him, if his home life was anything but completely unbearable.

''But… but when we went to get him, Harry was in a normal bedroom,'' said George just as Remus was opening his mouth to ask Sirius what he meant. The red – haired man was completely thrown off balance. He couldn't imagine how Harry managed to act and talk civilized about these people after they had put him through _that._ If anyone had so much as tried to do something like that to him or any of his brothers and sister… He exchanged a look with his twin, seeing that as usual they were in the same wavelength.

Hagrid slammed his fist on the table so hard its legs threatened to break. He recalled the first time he had talked to Harry, after he had managed to find him in that pathetic excuse for a cabin in the middle of nowhere. He hadn't failed to notice the boy had gone to sleep on the floor the night he went to get him and he had mentioned it right alongside the Dursleys' atrocious attempts to prevent their nephew to attend Hogwarts, when he heatedly recounted his _visit_ to Dumbledore. Only now did Hagrid consider the very real possibility that for all the floor was hard and uncomfortable and cold, at the very least it was more spacious than a cupboard under the stairs.

Dumbledore waited a considerable amount of time for everyone's temper to subside – as much as it was possible under the circumstances – and then he spoke gently, reminding them that they had to continue with the story, since Lee seemed unable to start reading again on his own.

Lee looked at his old Professor and then down at the book in his hands, silently cursing his luck for having to be the one to read that chapter. Unwilling as he was however, as it became clear that no one else appeared particularly keen on speaking at that point, each lost in their own unpleasant thoughts, he realized he had no choice and, clearing his throat, he resumed reading, wishing fervently the next paragraphs contained lighter material.

**Those had been the days before he had known anything about his true identity; before he had found out how his parents had died or why such strange things often happened around him. But Harry could still remember the dreams that had dogged him, even in those days: confused dreams involving flashes of green light and once – Uncle Vernon had nearly crashed the car when Harry had recounted it – a flying motorbike …**

For all his anger at what they had just found out, Sirius couldn't keep a small smile from forming on his lips at the thought of his godson remembering something about him; even if at that time he most likely had no idea what it meant.

**There was a sudden, deafening roar from somewhere nearby. Harry straightened up with a jerk and smacked the top of his head on the low door frame. Pausing only to employ a few of Uncle Vernon's choicest swear words, he staggered back into the kitchen, clutching his head and staring out of the window into the back garden.**

**The darkness seemed to be rippling, the air itself quivering. Then, one by one, figures began to pop into sight as their Disillusionment Charms lifted. Dominating the scene was Hagrid, wearing a helmet and goggles and sitting astride an enormous motorbike with a black sidecar attached. All around him other people were dismounting from brooms and, in two cases, skeletal, black winged horses.**

Fleur felt a slight shiver curse through her. She wasn't exactly fond of these creatures.

Lily sighed as her foul mood became even worse. Of course Harry would be able to see the thestrals.

**Wrenching open the back door, Harry hurtled into their midst. There was a general cry of greeting as Hermione flung her arms around him, Ron clapped him on the back, and Hagrid said, "All righ', Harry? Ready fer the off?"**

"**Definitely," said Harry, beaming around at them all. "But I wasn't expecting this many of you!"**

''It's good to see you too, Harry. We're all fine, thanks for asking and you?'' drawled Bill and Charlie chuckled.

"**Change of plan," growled Mad-Eye, who was holding two enormous bulging sacks, and whose magical eye was spinning from darkening sky to house to garden with dizzying rapidity. "Let's get undercover before we talk you through it."**

''Calm as usual, eh Mad – Eye?'' said Tonks, grinning widely when Moody's normal eye glared at her.

**Harry led them all back into the kitchen where, laughing and chattering, they settled on chairs, sat themselves upon Aunt Petunia's gleaming work surfaces, or leaned up against her spotless appliances; Ron, long and lanky; Hermione, her bushy hair tied back in a long plait; Fred and George, grinning identically; Bill, badly scarred and long-haired; Mr. Weasley, kind-faced, balding, his spectacles a little awry; Mad-Eye, battle-worn, one-legged, his bright blue magical eye whizzing in its socket; Tonks, whose short hair was her favorite shade of bright pink; Lupin, grayer, more lined; Fleur, slender and beautiful, with her long silvery blonde hair; Kingsley, bald and broad-shouldered; Hagrid, with his wild hair and beard, standing hunchbacked to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling; and Mundungus Fletcher, small, dirty, and hangdog, with his droopy beady hound's eyes and matted hair. Harry's heart seemed to expand and glow at the sight: He felt incredibly fond of all of them, even Mundungus, whom he had tried to strangle the last time they had met.**

''Such flattering descriptions of us all,'' said Remus sniggering as the twins pretended to be deeply offended that Harry hadn't devoted more time in describing them. The ones who weren't mentioned seemed to be highly amused.

''Well my description is perfectly fine,'' put in Fleur throwing strands of her silvery blonde hair behind her shoulders and smiling satisfied. Ginny glanced at her quickly. She had come a long way concerning her feelings towards Fleur and she actually liked her now. Yet sometimes, when the woman acted like a… stuck – up beauty queen it seemed, she could feel the old feelings of resentment creeping back in.

''Why had he tried to strangle Mundungus though?'' asked Alice confused. Nobody seemed able to provide her with an answer, even though Remus had a sneaking suspicion. He remembered having heard a few rumors of Mundungus raiding Grimauld Place after Sirius' death. If the rumors had indeed been true and Harry had found out about it, he for one wasn't surprised the boy had acted this way. He refrained from mentioning this however. While he knew that Sirius absolutely loathed his family house and everything attached to it and would probably not mind if any heirlooms went missing or sold, Remus would rather not take any chances of it ending up angering his best friend.

"**Kingsley, I thought you were looking after the Muggle Prime Minister?" he called across the room.**

"**He can get along without me for one night," said Kingsley, "You're more important."**

"**Harry, guess what?" said Tonks from her perch on top of the washing machine, and she wiggled her left hand at him; a ring glistened there.**

"**You got married?" Harry yelped, looking from her to Lupin.**

Tonks bestowed a wide, sunny smile at her husband, who squeezed her hand, attempting to not let his face betray the less – than – happy thoughts that were swirling around in his head. The more excited Tonks looked about their marriage, the more doubtful he grew, the more he questioned whether he had made the right call or not.

"**I'm sorry you couldn't be there, Harry, it was very quiet."**

"**That's brilliant, congrat –"**

"**All right, all right, we'll have time for a cozy catch-up later," roared Moody over the hubbub, and silence fell in the kitchen.**

Now it Tonks' turn to glare at her former boss, though he looked as unruffled by it as she had earlier.

**Moody dropped his sacks at his feet and turned to Harry. "As Dedalus probably told you, we had to abandon Plan A. Pius has gone over, which gives us a big problem. He's made it an imprisonable offense to connect this house to the Floo Network, place a Portkey here, or Apparate in or out. All done in the name of your protection, to prevent You-Know-Who from getting in at you. Absolutely pointless, seeing as your mother's charm does that already. What he's really done is to stop you from getting out of here safely."**

There was a collective groan at that. Bloody Thicknesse!

"**Second problem: You're underage, which means you've still got the Trace on you."**

"**I don't –"**

"**The Trace, the Trace!" said Mad-Eye impatiently. "The charm that detects magical activity around under-seventeens, the way the Ministry finds out about underage magic! If you, or anyone around you, casts a spell to get you out of here, Thicknesse is going to know about it, and so will the Death Eaters."**

"**We can't wait for the Trace to break, because the moment you turn seventeen you'll lose all the protection your mother gave you. In short, Pius Thicknesse thinks he's got you cornered good and proper."**

**Harry could not help but agree with the unknown Thicknesse.**

The people from the past shared that sentiment. It seemed, for all intents and purposes, Harry was unable to vacate the house safely.

''Basically Thicknesse's got him by the short and curlies,'' muttered Frank sourly. Alice, being the only one who heard him, shushed him quickly, though she couldn't help but agree with her husband's less – than – elegant statement. She was very curious to see what the plan to get out of this precarious situation was.

"**So what are we going to do?"**

"**We're going to use the only means of transport left to us, the only ones the Trace can't detect, because we don't need to cast spells to use them: brooms, thestrals, and Hagrid's motorbike."**

**Harry could see flaws in this plan; however, he held his tongue to give Mad-Eye the chance to address them.**

''How kind of him,'' smirked Mad – Eye.

"**Now, your mother's charm will only break under two conditions: when you come of age, or" – Moody gestured around the pristine kitchen – "you no longer call this place home. You and your aunt and uncle are going your separate ways tonight, in the full understanding that you're never going to live together again, correct?"**

**Harry nodded.**

"**So this time, when you leave, there'll be no going back, and the charm will break the moment you get outside its range. We're choosing to break it early, because the alternative is waiting for You-Know-Who to come and seize you the moment you turn seventeen.**

Lee paused there for a second as he let himself imagine such an incident. He realized immediately though that nothing good would come from that kind of thinking and he rushed to keep reading, in an attempt to keep others from pondering the same things.

"**The one thing we've got on our side is that You-Know-Who doesn't know we're moving you tonight.**

**We've leaked a fake trail to the Ministry: They think you're not leaving until the thirtieth.**

''And a fat lot of good it did us,'' snarled Mad – Eye. He had constantly warned Dumbledore against trusting Snape. A snake may shed its skin when it suits it, but what's underneath remains the same. _Once a Deatheater, always a Deatheater. _Those scums don't go changing that easily. Nevertheless, truth be told, he was sorry to be proven right, considering the cost.

Kingsley scoffed disappointed. They had made a mistake, putting their trust in Snape and now they were paying the price.

**However, this is You-Know-Who we're dealing with, so we can't rely on him getting the date wrong; he's bound to have a couple of Death Eaters patrolling the skies in this general area, just in case. So, we've given a dozen different houses every protection we can throw at them. They all look like they could be the place we're going to hide you, they've all got some connection with the Order: my house, Kingsley's place, Molly's Auntie Muriel's – you get the idea."**

"**Yeah," said Harry, not entirely truthfully, because he could still spot a gaping hole in the plan.**

''Oh, ye of little faith!'' said Fred, pointing a finger at the book accusingly and eliciting snickers from those around him.

"**You'll be going to Tonks's parents. Once you're within the boundaries of the protective enchantments we've put on their house you'll be able to use a Portkey to the Burrow. Any questions?"**

"**Er – yes," said Harry. "Maybe they won't know which of the twelve secure houses I'm heading for at first, but won't it be sort of obvious once" – he performed a quick headcount – "fourteen of us fly off toward Tonks's parents?"**

"**Ah," said Moody, "I forgot to mention the key point. Fourteen of us won't be flying to Tonks's parents. There will be seven Harry Potters moving through the skies tonight, each of them with a companion, each pair heading for a different safe house."**

**From inside his cloak Moody now withdrew a flask of what looked like mud. There was no need for him to say another word; Harry understood the rest of the plan immediately.**

"**No!" he said loudly, his voice ringing through the kitchen. "No way!"**

''At least we know he takes it well,'' commented Fred sarcastically.

''The flask contains Polyjuice Potion, am I right?'' Frank waited for Mad – Eye's affirmative nod before he continued. ''Then I fail to see why Harry reacts so strongly; As far as I am concerned it's a very good plan,'' he concluded, his eyebrows coming together in a contemplative manner.

''It's Harry,'' Ginny spoke briskly, waving her hand in an impatient manner. ''He hates it when people put their lives even in the slightest jeopardy to help him. He doesn't get that we do it because we honestly want it; from the way he talks you'd think he's forcing us.'' She hadn't meant to sound so vehement, but the wound he had caused by basically dumping her because he thought that way she wouldn't put her life at risk due to her being associated to him, was still raw. As if now that they weren't together she'd stop trying to help him and fighting against Voldemort's reign of terror any way she could. For all Harry was brilliant, sometimes he just didn't get it.

James disliked the plan as well, though for different reasons than his son. After they learned how vital it was for Harry's protection that he live in that house, the fact that now they were going to such lengths and concocting elaborate plans to get him out of what was in all likelihood his last and only safe haven for the foreseeable future, seemed kind of off to him. One glance at his wife's steely eyes however, and he felt his doubts withering away. They both knew very well that, as much as they'd wish for Harry to stay where he would be safe, he had to get out of this house and, to be honest, the plan they had come with was as good as it was going to get. All he could do right now was to put his faith in the current members of the Order's abilities and hope for the best.

"**I told them you'd take it like this," said Hermione with a hint of complacency.**

"**If you think I'm going to let six people risk their lives - !"**

"—**because it's the first time for all of us," said Ron.**

''Ron does have a point there, y'know,'' said George as Arthur pursed his lips and Molly narrowed her eyes; both visibly unhappy with the off – handed way their sons treated the fact they had been in danger of being killed more than once.

"**This is different, pretending to be me –"**

''That's the real downside to the whole thing, Harry,'' said Fred solemnly as if Harry was able to hear him.

''Yeah what if something goes wrong and we're forever stuck looking like a scrawny git with glasses?'' added George.

"**Well, none of us really fancy it, Harry," said Fred earnestly. "Imagine if something went wrong and we were stuck as specky, scrawny gits forever."**

Laughter broke out around the room. The twins high fived each other, smirking, before George realized that, in their joke they had not only insulted Harry, but also James, who Harry was practically a spitting image of, and muttered ''Sorry'' in his direction. James rolled his eyes, but he found the situation too funny to actually get offended.

**Harry did not smile.**

''Way to be a killjoy, Harry,'' remarked Charlie, still sniggering.

"**You can't do it if I don't cooperate, you need me to give you some hair."**

"**Well, that's the plan scuppered," said George. "Obviously there's no chance at all of us getting a bit of your hair unless you cooperate." **

Lee was reading these lines with a wide smile on his face, which was mirrored by the majority of the rest.

"**Yeah, thirteen of us against one bloke who's not allowed to use magic; we've got no chance," said Fred.**

"**Funny," said Harry, "really amusing."**

''Well I, for one, found it _extremely_ amusing,'' said Fred feigning hurt at his witticism not being appreciated. Judging from the general state of mirth the occupants of the room were currently in, he wasn't alone in that opinion.

"**If it has to come to force, then it will," growled Moody, his magical eye now quivering a little in its socket as he glared at Harry. "Everyone here's overage, Potter, and they're all prepared to take the risk."**

**Mundungus shrugged and grimaced; the magical eye swerved sideways to glance at him out of the side of Moody's head.**

Molly scowled. It was no secret she was not Mundungus' biggest fan and she had insisted quite fervently that he be excluded from the plan. She was afraid Mundungus would not hesitate to betray them if things took a turn for the worse. Unfortunately her warnings had not been heeded and what she had just heard only served to increase her anxiety.

"**Let's have no more arguments. Time's wearing on. I want a few of your hairs, boy, now."**

"**But this is mad, there's no need –"**

"**No need!" snarled Moody. "With You-Know-Who out there and half the Ministry on his side? Potter, if we're lucky he'll have swallowed the fake bait and he'll be planning to ambush you on the thirtieth, but he'd be mad not to have a Death Eater or two keeping an eye out, it's what I'd do. They might not be able to get at you or this house while your mother's charm holds, but it's about to break and they know the rough position of the place. Our only chance is to use decoys. Even You-Know-Who can't split himself into seven."**

Silence prevailed for a few minutes, as people considered Mad – Eye's words. The situation was truly hazardous, considering Voldemort was aware of at least half the plan. Bill felt torn. On one hand he wanted to shout at Lee to hurry up and keep reading so that he'd find out if their plan worked, if his family and Harry and everyone else survived. On the other hand he wanted to grab the book and toss it away and get the hell out of there. He couldn't shake the foreboding feeling that had been weighing on his shoulders ever since he got bitten, that little nagging voice inside his head whispering incessantly, telling him_ there were too many Weasleys; the chances were against them; not all of them would survive this war. _

**Harry caught Hermione's eye and looked away at once.**

"**So, Potter – some of your hair, if you please."**

**Harry glanced at Ron, who grimaced at him in a just-do-it sort of way.**

"**Now!" barked Moody.**

**With all of their eyes upon him, Harry reached up to the top of his head, grabbed a hank of hair, and pulled.**

"**Good," said Moody, limping forward as he pulled the stopper out of the flask of potion. "Straight in here, if you please."**

**Harry dropped the hair into the mudlike liquid. The moment it made contact with its surface, the potion began to froth and smoke, then, all at once, it turned a clear, bright gold.**

"**Ooh, you look much tastier than Crabbe and Goyle, Harry," said Hermione, before catching sight of Ron's raised eyebrows, blushing slightly, and saying, "Oh, you know what I mean – Goyle's potion tasted like bogies."**

''Open mouth, insert foot, Hermione,'' chortled Ginny, shaking her head as Fred, George and Lee giggled. Oh, Ron must have loved hearing that!

''Why does Hermione know how Goyle's potion tastes?'' inquired Molly, baffled. ''Actually, you know what? Never mind, I don't want to know. I have enough to worry about as it is,'' she added before anyone had a chance to utter a single word in reply. Arthur put a hand around his wife's tense shoulders in a comforting manner.

''You know, I 'ave never tasted Polyjuice potion before. Does eet really taste that bad?'' asked Fleur. She figured, since she'd forget it after they left the room, she might as well satisfy her curiosity now.

''It tastes like goblin piss,'' said Mad – Eye bluntly.

''Have a lot of experiences with that, do you, Mad – Eye?'' said Fred jokingly, and several disbelieving chuckles rose from the table; Tonks let out a loud guffaw of laughter.

''Just trying to defuse the tension,'' his twin said, seeing as Moody was glaring at them with both eyes, a sour expression on his face.

Lee stifled his laughter and rushed to resume reading before Mad – Eye legitimately exploded.

"**Right then, fake Potters line up over here, please," said Moody.**

**Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Fleur lined up in front of Aunt Petunia's gleaming sink.**

"**We're one short," said Lupin.**

"**Here," said Hagrid gruffly, and he lifted Mundungus by the scruff of the neck and dropped him down beside Fleur, who wrinkled her nose pointedly and moved along to stand between Fred and George instead.**

''Glad you find our company more enjoyable than old Dung's,'' George told Fleur winking. The Veela rolled her eyes as Bill reached out and whacked George on the back of his head and then Fred, ''For good measure,'' he claimed, smirking, when the twin protested.

"**I said, I'd sooner be a protector," said Mundungus.**

"**Shut it," growled Moody. "As I've already told you, you spineless worm, any Death Eaters we run into will be aiming to capture Potter, not kill him. Dumbledore always said You-Know-Who would want to finish Potter in person. It'll be the protectors who have got the most to worry about, the Death Eaters'll want to kill them."**

''That's reassuring,'' deadpanned Fred but George put hand on his brother's mouth to keep him from being heard. He had a strong feeling any more jabs at Mad – Eye would not end well for them.

**Mundungus did not look particularly reassured, but Moody was already pulling half a dozen eggcup-sized glasses from inside his cloak, which he handed out, before pouring a little Polyjuice Potion into each one.**

"**Altogether, then … "**

**Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Fleur, and Mundungus drank. All of them gasped and grimaced as the potion hit their throats; At once, their features began to bubble and distort like hot wax. Hermione and Mundungus were shooting upward; Ron, Fred, and George were shrinking; their hair was darkening, Hermione's and Fleur's appearing to shoot backward into their skulls.**

''This is arguably one of the weirdest things I've ever read,'' said Lee, amused. ''Or imagined.''

**Moody, quite unconcerned, was now loosening the ties of the large sacks he had brought with him. When he straightened up again, there were six Harry Potters gasping and panting in front of him.**

''I bet that would be a dream come true for you, Gin,'' whispered George, waggling his eyebrows.

''Sod off!'' the redhead whispered back furiously, her cheeks rivaling her hair in terms of color.

Fred, who had missed the exchange between his siblings, suddenly grabbed George's arm so forcibly his twin lost his balance and went toppling to the floor.

''Oi! What was that for?''asked George sullenly as he tried to sit back up in his chair, his arm slightly throbbing.

''Don't you get it?'' Fred's eyes were wide. ''We drank the Polyjuice potion which means we'll be identical!'' His expression was akin to horror.

George's eyes widened as well and he looked around frantically, immediately catching on to what his brother was doing.

''This is a disaster!'' he cried.

''You two are absolutely ridiculous,'' said Charlie, though he couldn't stop laughing.

Lee, who had read on, barely managed to get the next sentence out between bouts of laughter.

**Fred and George turned to each other and said together, "Wow – we're identical!"**

Said two people's smiles were threatening to split their faces in half, while they tried to appear otherwise nonchalant as most everyone else howled with laughter.

"**I dunno, though, I think I'm still better-looking," said Fred, examining his reflection in the kettle.**

''Ha! In your dreams, Freddie,'' said George, smirking at his twin. ''Everyone knows _I _am the good – looking one.''

''Fine, then I'm the smart one.''

''Exactly! Hey – wait a minute…''

"**Bah," said Fleur, checking herself in the microwave door, "Bill, don't look at me – I'm 'ideous."**

Fleur blushed as Ginny threw her a side glance. Bill leaned in close to whisper in her ear, ''You'll never be hideous to me,'' which caused her to blush even more.

"**Those whose clothes are a bit roomy, I've got smaller here," said Moody, indicating the first sack, "and vice versa. Don't forget the glasses, there's six pairs in the side pocket. And when you're dressed, there's luggage in the other sack."**

**The real Harry thought that this might just be the most bizarre thing he had ever seen, and he had seen some extremely odd things. He watched as his six doppelgangers rummaged in the sacks, pulling out sets of clothes, putting on glasses, stuffing their own things away. He felt like asking them to show a little more respect for privacy as they all began stripping off with impunity, clearly more at ease with displaying his body than they would have been with their own.**

''Honestly though… how are we supposed to comment on that?'' said Sirius, as he and Remus chuckled.

"**I knew Ginny was lying about that tattoo," said Ron, looking down at his bare chest.**

''Why would you possess any knowledge concerning Harry's chest?'' Molly asked her daughter in a deceptively calm voice, which, for those who knew the Weasley matriarch, screamed _danger, danger! _

Ginny, after making a mental note to greet her beloved brother with the Bat Bogey Hex the next time she saw him, looked up at her mother.

''Um… well, y'know I don't really… that is to say…'' she mumbled pathetically, racking her brain for something to say that wouldn't make things even worse, but coming up blank.

''Bet! We made a bet,'' said George, coming to the rescue. ''We all made bets on whether Harry's got any tattoos and Ginny said he does.''

''Obviously she lost,'' piped in Lee.

The sixteen – year – old girl nodded, trying to look as though this story wasn't new to her.

Molly looked at them intensely, sensing they were lying but not being able to prove it. Eventually she sighed and gave up, motioning for Lee to go on. If she was honest with herself, Molly always suspected something would happen between Harry and Ginny, yet that didn't mean she had to like the implications that went with it.

Ginny sagged in relief and looked at both George and Lee gratefully, before the latter redirected his attention to the book in his lap.

"**Harry, your eyesight really is awful," said Hermione, as she put on glasses.**

''A fact I can attest to,'' said Lily drily, while beside her, Sirius and Remus cracked up, remembering all the times they used to hide James' glasses and laugh their arses off as he tried to simultaneously curse them and walk around without bumping into anyone – or anything, after being practically blind.

**Once dressed, the fake Harrys took rucksacks and owl cages, each containing a stuffed snowy owl, from the second sack.**

"**Good," said Moody, as at last seven dressed, bespectacled, and luggage-laden Harrys faced him.**

"**The pairs will be as follows: Mundungus will be traveling with me, by broom –"**

"**Why'm I with you?" grunted the Harry nearest the back door.**

"**Because you're the one that needs watching," growled Moody, and sure enough, his magical eye did not waver from Mundungus as he continued,**

''Good,'' muttered Molly, as she looked gratefully at Mad – Eye. It seemed she was not alone in her concerns about Mundungus' loyalty and trustworthiness. She could only hope that Mad – Eye'd keep him in check.

"**Arthur and Fred –" **

"**I'm George," said the twin at whom Moody was pointing. "Can't you even tell us apart when we're Harry?"**

"**Sorry, George –"**

"**I'm only yanking your wand, I'm Fred really –"**

''Now's not the time, boys,'' said Arthur sternly, realizing the twins were playing their infamous joke of each trying to pass as the other.The twins looked a bit ashamed.

"**Enough messing around!" snarled Moody. "The other one – George or Fred or whoever you are – you're with Remus. Miss Delacour –"**

"**I'm taking Fleur on a thestral," said Bill. "She's not that fond of brooms."**

**Fleur walked over to stand beside him, giving him a soppy, slavish look that Harry hoped with all his heart would never appear on his face again.**

Fleur blushed furiously once more and when, this time, her fiancé joined in the sniggering, she elbowed him in the gut_, hard, _smiling innocently afterward at his startled, pained expression.

"**Miss Granger with Kingsley, again by thestral –"**

**Hermione looked reassured as she answered Kingsley's smile; Harry knew that Hermione too lacked confidence on a broomstick.**

''Glad I could be of service,'' said Kingsley, smiling lightly.

"**Which leaves you and me, Ron!" said Tonks brightly, knocking over a mug tree as she waved at him.**

**Ron did not look quite as pleased as Hermione.**

''Why's that?'' asked Tonks, trying not to sound offended and fooling no one.

''I'm sure it's nothing,'' said Remus reassuringly.

"**An' you're with me, Harry. That all righ'?" said Hagrid, looking a little anxious. "We'll be on the bike, brooms an' thestrals can't take me weight, see. Not a lot o' room on the seat with me on it, though, so you'll be in the sidecar."**

"**That's great," said Harry, not altogether truthfully.**

Lee emitted a loud cough as he read that, in an attempt to make the last line incomprehensible. After seeing Tonks' reaction, he figured it'd be best if he, at least, spared Hagrid's feelings.

"**We think the Death Eaters will expect you to be on a broom," said Moody, who seemed to guess how Harry was feeling. "Snape's had plenty of time to tell them everything about you he's never mentioned before, so if we do run into any Death Eaters, we're betting they'll choose one of the Potters who looks at home on a broomstick.**

Sirius nodded appreciatively. That was some good thinking.

**All right then," he went on, tying up the sack with the fake Potters' clothes in it and leading the way back to the door, "I make it three minutes until we're supposed to leave. No point locking the back door, it won't keep the Death Eaters out when they come looking. Come on …"**

**Harry hurried to gather his rucksack, Firebolt, and Hedwig's cage and followed the group to the dark back garden.**

**On every side broomsticks were leaping into hands; Hermione had already been helped up onto a great black thestral by Kingsley, Fleur onto the other by Bill. Hagrid was standing ready beside the motorbike, goggles on.**

"**Is this it? Is this Sirius's bike?"**

Sirius' smile could not get any wider.

''At least that bike of yours can finally be useful,'' smirked James.

"**The very same," said Hagrid, beaming down at Harry. "An' the last time yeh was on it, Harry, I could fit yeh in one hand!"**

Lily smiled fondly as memories of her baby boy danced across her mind.

**Harry could not help but feel a little humiliated as he got into the sidecar. It placed him several feet below everybody else: Ron smirked at the sight of him sitting there like a child in a bumper car. Harry stuffed his rucksack and broomstick down by his feet and rammed Hedwig's cage between his knees. He was extremely uncomfortable.**

"**Arthur's done a bit o' tinkerin'," said Hagrid, quite oblivious to Harry's discomfort. He settled himself astride the motorcycle, which creaked slightly and sank inches into the ground. "It's got a few tricks upits sleeves now. Tha' one was my idea." He pointed a thick finger at a purple button near the speedometer.**

James and Sirius' excitement about the bike waned a little. These additions didn't exactly sound safe.

**"Please be careful, Hagrid." said Mr. Weasley, who was standing beside them, holding his broomstick. "I'm still not sure that was advisable and it's certainly only to be used in emergencies."**

By now pretty much everyone had grown tense. Molly shot a reprimanding glance at her husband.

**"All right, then." said Moody. "Everyone ready, please. I want us all to leave at exactly the same time or the whole point of the diversion's lost."**

**Everybody motioned their heads.**

**"Hold tight now, Ron," said Tonks, and Harry saw Ron throw a forcing, guilty look at Lupin before placing his hands on each side of her waist.**

Tonks rolled her eyes as Remus snorted with amusement. That was the reason Ron was less than happy about being paired with her?

**Hagrid kicked the motorbike into life: It roared like a dragon, and the sidecar began to vibrate.**

"**Good luck, everyone," shouted Moody. "See you all in about an hour at the Burrow. On the count of three. One … two .. THREE."**

**There was a great roar from the motorbike, and Harry felt the sidecar give a nasty lurch. He was rising through the air fast, his eyes watering slightly, hair whipped back off his face. Around him, brooms were soaring upward too; the long black tail of a thestral flicked past. His legs, jammed into the sidecar by Hedwig's cage and his rucksack, were already sore and starting to go numb. So great was his discomfort that he almost forgot to take a last glimpse of number four Privet Drive. By the time he looked over the edge of the sidecar he could no longer tell which one it was.**

''No great loss there,'' said James bitingly.

Though nobody else spoke, the same thought crossed everyone's mind. Finally, Harry was leaving that awful house behind, for good.

**And then, out of nowhere, out of nothing, they were surrounded. At least thirty hooded figures, suspended in midair, formed a vast circle in the middle of which the Order members had risen, oblivious –**

There were several surprised shouts of ''What?'' and ''What is going on?'' and ''How?'', followed by anguished cries and excessive swearing as the people in the room realized they had been ambushed. Lee had to raise his voice considerably in order to be heard above the hubbub.

**Screams, a blaze of green light on every side: Hagrid gave a yell and the motorbike rolled over. Harry lost any sense of where they were. Streetlights above him, yells around him, he was clinging to the sidecar for dear life. Hedwig's cage, the Firebolt, and his rucksack slipped from beneath his knees –**

**"No – HELP!"**

Lily flinched violently at her son's cry for help. James squeezed her hand, but it did nothing to reassure either of them. Her husband's whole body projected apprehension, and fear.

**The broomstick spun too, but he just managed to seize the strap of his rucksack and the top of the cage as the motorbike swung the right way up again. A second's relief, and then another burst of green light. The owl screeched and fell to the floor of the cage.**

**"No – NO!"**

Lee barely managed to read through his gritted teeth, as he gripped the thick book so tightly, his knuckles had turned white, every line adding up to the despair and horror that were steadily rising inside him.

**The motorbike zoomed forward; Harry glimpsed hooded Death Eaters scattering as Hagrid blasted through their circle.**

**"Hedwig – Hedwig –"**

**But the owl lay motionless and pathetic as a toy on the floor of her cage.**

Hagrid, suddenly, felt his eyes welling up. Hedwig had been his present to Harry, the first thing he had ever given him. He still remembered the way the eleven – year – old boy had thanked him, stammering, as though it was completely unheard of for someone to give him a gift. And now she was gone, dead in the most unfair way.

**He could not take it in, and his terror for the others was paramount. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a mass of people moving, flares of green light, two pairs of people on brooms soaring off into the distance, but he could not tell who they were –**

Ginny had her hands tightly interlaced, her back rigid with tension. The majority of her family was out there, not to mention Harry and Hermione and Tonks and everyone else. She tried to convince herself that it would be fine, they were all skilled wizards, they could defend themselves. She succeeded for a few seconds, her terror subsiding just a bit, until the faces of Sirius, along with Dumbledore came unbidden to her mind and she knew it was a lost cause.

**"Hagrid, we've got to go back, we've got to go back!" he yelled over the thunderous roar of the engine, pulling out his wand, ramming Hedwig's cage into the floor, refusing to believe that she was dead. "Hagrid, TURN AROUND!"**

**"My job's ter get you there safe, Harry!" bellow Hagrid, and he opened the throttle.**

''Yes!'' shouted James heatedly. He leaped at his feet, no longer able to just sit down. Pacing seemed to work a bit better on his frazzled nerves. ''Don't listen to him,'' he told Hagrid, ''just make sure you get him to safety.''

Hagrid nodded emphatically, all regretful thoughts about Hedwig cast aside. He couldn't even muster enough worry about himself at the moment. He had been appointed one job, just one job and he'd be damned if he let anything happen to Harry on his watch.

**"Stop – STOP!" Harry shouted, but as he looked back again two jets of green light flew past his left ear: Four Death Eaters had broken away from the circle and were pursuing them, aiming for Hagrid's broad back.**

''Oh Merlin, no!'' cried Tonks, her eyes wide and frantic. She felt sick with worry, not only about Harry and Hagrid, but Remus as well. The book made no mention of him, or any of the others. She refused to accept the possibility of losing him, after just having found him. She just had to believe he was alright; she was certain she would not be able to cope with the alternative.

**Hagrid swerved, but the Death Eaters were keeping up with the bike; more curses shot after them, and Harry had to sink low into the sidecar to avoid them. Wriggling around he cried, " Stupefy!" and a red bolt of light shot from his own wand, cleaving a gap between the four pursuing Death Eaters as they scattered to avoid it.**

**"Hold on, Harry, this'll do for 'em!" roared Hagrid, and Harry looked up just in time to see Hagrid slamming a thick finger into a green button near the fuel gauge.**

Arthur let out a deep sigh, finding slight comfort in the knowledge that this would at the very least slow them down. He only wished the book would make a mention of one of his sons, just so he'd know they were alright. Maybe then his brain would stop conjuring up various scenarios, each worse than the one before.

**A wall, a solid black wall, erupted out of the exhaust pipe. Craning his neck, Harry saw it expand into being in midair. Three of the Death Eaters swerved and avoided it, but the fourth was not so lucky; He vanished from view and then dropped like a boulder from behind it, his broomstick broken into pieces.**

**One of his fellows slowed up to save him, but they and the airborne wall were swallowed by darkness as Hagrid leaned low over the handlebars and sped up.**

There were many sighs of relief, yet everyone knew this was far from over.

**More Killing Curses flew past Harry's head from the two remaining Death Eaters' wands; they were aiming for Hagrid. Harry responded with further Stunning Spells: Red and green collided in midair in a shower of multicolored sparks, and Harry thought wildly of fireworks, and the Muggles below who would have no idea what was happening –**

''Now's not the time to be worrying about Muggles, Potter,'' barked Mad – Eye, as if Harry was standing in front of him and could hear his reprimand. ''Constant vigilance! You can't afford to get distracted. Focus on getting out of there safely.''

**"Here we go again, Harry, hold on!" yelled Hagrid, and he jabbed at a second button. This time a great net burst from the bike's exhaust, but the Death Eaters were ready for it. Not only did they swerve to avoid it, but the companion who had slowed to save their unconscious friend had caught up. He bloomed suddenly out of the darkness and now three of them were pursuing the motorbike, all shooting curses after it.**

Lily emitted a groan; she looked close to tears. Alice stood up and went to embrace her best friend. A hug seemed fairly useless, but from the way Lily was clutching at her, she figured it was needed. Alice knew that if it had been her son in Harry's place, she'd be reacting much worse.

**"This'll do it, Harry, hold on tight!" yelled Hagrid, and Harry saw him slam his whole hand onto the purple button beside the speedometer.**

McGonagall closed her eyes, trying to calm her erratic breathing. She remembered Arthur Weasley advising caution in case that button had to be used. The Professor fervently wished Arthur's doubts were unfounded and nothing bad would happen after pressing the button. A part of her brain kept shouting that kind of thinking was naive, Harry and Hagrid would most likely be killed, same as everyone else who participated in this extremely risky, hazardous plan. But that _naive, silly hope_ was the only thing that kept her from completely panicking.

**With an unmistakable bellowing roar, dragon fire burst from the exhaust, white-hot and blue, and the motorbike shot forward like a bullet with a sound of wrenching metal. Harry saw the Death Eaters swerve out of sight to avoid the deadly trail of flame, and at the same time felt the sidecar sway ominously: Its metal connections to the bike had splintered with the force of acceleration.**

Molly let out a whimper, too scared to actually form words – not that she'd actually know what to say. Her whole attention was devoted to the words coming out of Lee's mouth. It was bad enough before, but now Harry was in danger of falling from – who knew how many feet – in the air? Her brain did not know how to process that fact.

**"It's all righ', Harry!" bellowed Hagrid, now thrown flat onto the back by the surge of speed; nobody was steering now, and the sidecar was starting to twist violently in the bike's slipstream.**

**"I'm on it, Harry, don' worry!" Hagrid yelled, and from inside his jacket pocket he pulled his flowery pink umbrella.**

''Oh Hagrid, why?'' said Dumbledore, worry evident in his tone. He knew perfectly well the – more often than not – disastrous results that occurred whenever Hagrid attempted to use the broken shards of his wand to perform magic and he was terribly afraid this time would not be any different.

**"Hagrid! No! Let me!"**

**"REPARO!"**

**There was a deafening bang and the sidecar broke away from the bike completely. Harry sped forward, propelled by the impetus of the bike's flight, then the sidecar began to lose height –**

There were several frightened screams. Hagrid buried his face in his enormous hands, calling himself every name in the book for knowing he was rubbish at magic and yet still attempting to be a bloody hero and save the day. He had screwed things up; they should have never let Harry ride with him.

**In desperation Harry pointed his wand at the sidecar and shouted, "Wingardium Leviosa!"**

**The sidecar rose like a cork, unsteerable but at least still airborne. He had but a split second's relief, however, as more curses streaked past him: The three Death Eaters were closing in.**

Sirius dug his nails in his palms with so much force he drew blood, yet he found he could not care less. Same with Firebolt; he didn't so much as bat an eyelash when he heard that his present was destroyed. Material possessions were of little import at the moment. All that mattered, all that Sirius could focus on was his godson making it out of that battlefield alive. And with every new line, it seemed more and more unlikely.

**"I'm comin', Harry!" Hagrid yelled from out of the darkness, but Harry could feel the sidecar beginning to sink again: Crouching as low as he could, he pointed at the middle of the oncoming figures and yelled, "Impedimenta!"**

**The jinx hit the middle Death Eater in the chest; for a moment the man was absurdly spread-eagled in midair as though he had hit an invisible barrier: One of his fellows almost collided with him –**

**Then the sidecar began to fall in earnest, and the remaining Death Eater shot a curse so close to Harry that he had to duck below the rim of the car, knocking out a tooth on the edge of his seat –**

Remus winced at that. He too had knocked out a tooth once, during the execution of one of their crazy pranks at Hogwarts and he still remembered the severe pain which had inflicted him. The next second he felt incredibly moronic; thinking about broken teeth while everything was going to hell in a handbasket. However, it seemed he was only able to take in the small things, details, as if his major brain functions had shut down. His mind refused to even entertain a situation where his best friend's son was legitimately in danger of being murdered. His mind went back to the night Sirius died – and he immediately felt a thousand times worse – how he had managed to remain calm by allowing his brain to process only one single thing: keeping Harry from going after Bellatrix and consequently getting himself killed as well. Ultimately he had failed as Harry did go after her, yet it was what prevented him from breaking down there and then. And quite honestly… taking in consideration the way everyone around him was falling apart, he rather preferred his more 'aloof' state.

**"I'm comin', Harry, I'm comin'!"**

**A huge hand seized the back of Harry's robes and hoisted him out of the plummeting sidecar; Harry pulled his rucksack with him as he dragged himself onto the motorbike's seat and found himself back-to-back with Hagrid. As they soared upward, away from the two remaining Death Eaters, Harry spat blood out of his mouth, pointed his wand at the falling sidecar, and yelled, "Confringo!"**

**He knew a dreadful, gut-wrenching pang for Hedwig as it exploded; the Death Eater nearest it was blasted off his broom and fell from sight; his companion fell back and vanished.**

**"Harry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," moaned Hagrid, "I shouldn'ta tried ter repair it meself – yeh've got no room –"**

''Save the chit – chat for later, Hagrid,'' roared Kingsley. Everyone looked at him in surprise; it wasn't like the usually calm and collected Auror to lose his patience like that. Then again, considering the things they were hearing, who could blame him?

**"It's not a problem, just keep flying!" Harry shouted back, as two more Death Eaters emerged out of the darkness, drawing closer.**

**As the curses came shooting across the intervening space again, Hagrid swerved and zigzagged: Harry knew that Hagrid did not dare use the dragon-fire button again, with Harry seated so insecurely. Harry sent Stunning Spell after Stunning Spell back at their pursuers, barely holding them off. He shot another blocking jinx at them: The closest Death Eater swerved to avoid it and his hood slipped, and by the red light of his next Stunning Spell, Harry saw the strangely blank face of Stanley Shunpike – Stan –**

**"Expelliarmus!"Harry yelled.**

''The time for Disarming is past!'' yelled Remus, looking aghast. ''At least stun if you're not ready to kill,'' he added as several other voiced their agreement.

**"That's him, it's him, it's the real one!"**

**The hooded Death Eater's shout reached Harry even above the thunder of the motorbike's engine: Next moment, both pursuers had fallen back and disappeared from view.**

''What?'' said Lily, her voice shrill. ''How can they possibly know that?''

''Because of him using Expelliarmus,'' replied Remus in an angry tone. ''As far as Deatheaters are concerned, this spell is practically Harry's signature.''

His answer caused Lily to feel even more terrified.

**"Harry, what's happened?" bellowed Hagrid. "Where've they gone?"**

**"I don't know!"**

**But Harry was afraid: The hooded Death Eater had shouted, "It's the real one!" ; how had he known? He gazed around at the apparently empty darkness and felt its menace. Where were they?**

Charlie looked around, feeling more frightened than he had before. _Why _had the Deatheaters vanished? It was Harry they wanted, Harry they seeked. If they were so certain they had found him, why hadn't they pressed on, attacked even more in order to capture the boy or even kill him? Why did they just up and leave? It simply didn't make sense and that was what disturbed Charlie so greatly.

**He clambered around on the seat to face forward and seized hold of the back of Hagrid's jacket.**

**"Hagrid, do the dragon-fire thing again, let's get out of here!"**

**"Hold on tight, then, Harry!"**

''No don't do _that,''_ moaned Bill. Hadn't the first time taught them anything?

**There was a deafening, screeching roar again and the white-blue fire shot from the exhaust: Harry felt himself slipping backwards off what little of the seat he had. Hagrid flung backward upon him, barely maintaining his grip on the handlebars –**

**"I think we've lost 'em Harry, I think we've done it!" yelled Hagrid.**

**But Harry was not convinced; Fear lapped at him as he looked left and right for pursuers he was sure would come. . . . Why had they fallen back? One of them had still had a wand. . . . It's him . . . it's the real one . . . . They had said it right after he had tried to Disarm Stan. . . .**

Remus growled; that was the most stupid thing Harry could have done. He felt as if he was slowly coming out of his earlier numb state. Fear gripped him tightly as he tried to comprehend what the consequences of that action would be.

**"We're nearly there, Harry, we've nearly made it!" shouted Hagrid.**

**Harry felt the bike drop a little, though the lights down on the ground still seemed remote as stars.**

_Hurry! _That thought was prominent on everyone's mind. Maybe they could do it after all, outrun the Deatheaters, maybe whatever was supposed to happen after the Deatheaters' exit wouldn't matter because Harry and Hagrid will have reached their goal already, they'll be safe and sound.

**Then the scar on his forehead burned like fire: as a Death Eater appeared on either side of the bike, two Killing Curses missed Harry by millimeters, cast from behind –**

**And then Harry saw him. Voldemort was flying like smoke on the wind, without broomstick or thestral to hold him, his snake-like face gleaming out of the blackness, his white fingers raising his wand again –**

Lee's voice was nothing more than a whisper. He choked on Voldemort's name but it went unnoticed since everyone was on the edge of their seats trying to get closer to the book, as if that way they'd be able to actually do something, help instead of just sit there feeling scared out of their minds, every new thought more horrid than the last.

**Hagrid let out a bellow of fear and steered the motorbike into a vertical dive. Clinging on for dear life, Harry sent Stunning Spells flying at random into the whirling night. He saw a body fly past him and knew he had hit one of them, but then he heard a bang and saw sparks from the engine; the motorbike spiraled through the air, completely out of control –**

Whatever little color had remained in Lily's face now drained completely; she looked as pale as the ghosts roaming the halls of Hogwarts. She opened her mouth, yet no sound came out, much as she tried.

**Green jets of light shot past them again. Harry had no idea which way was up, which down: His scar was still burning; he expected to die at any second. A hooded figure on a broomstick was feet from him, he saw it raise its arm –**

**"NO!"**

**With a shout of fury Hagrid launched himself off the bike at the Death Eater; to his horror, Harry saw both Hagrid and the Death Eater, falling out of sight, their combined weight too much for the broomstick–**

''No, Hagrid, what are you doing?'' came several despairing cries. The half – giant himself just shrugged, feeling eerily calm for the first time since the attack had begun. He knew of course that he was more or less a goner; the chances of survival after what he did were slim to none. Given the choice, he'd prefer a much different way to die, to be sure, one more comfortable and timid, and certainly a long time from now. Yet if doing so, it protected Harry, bought him even a couple more minutes in which to try and escape towards safety, well then he'd gladly do it again.

**Barely gripping the plummeting bike with his knees, Harry heard Voldemort scream, "Mine!"**

**It was over: He could not see or hear where Voldemort was; he glimpsed another Death Eater swooping out of the way and heard, " Avada –"**

A sorrowful, anguished sound made its way through the room. It took Lily a couple minutes to realize it came from her; apparently she had regained the ability to speak, or at least make incoherent noises. Lee tried to speak again but she screamed at him – and hey, look, actual words!

''No! Shut up!''

''Lily?'' James' voice was low and careful; his expression devastated after everything he had been forced to hear. Lily immediately regretted making him feel even worse, but she just couldn't take it anymore. She got up and started pacing, like he had done before, trying to block it all out; Lee's startled, frightened face that made him look like a small child seeking comfort; Molly's silent tears that were rolling down her cheeks, yet she made no effort to wipe them away; Sirius seeming this close from getting up and starting throwing punches all over the place ( she knew from past experiences that whenever Sirius got mad about something, James would make the two of them quarrel; it always seemed to calm him down in the end, channel that pent – up energy somewhere); Ginny looking like she was about to vomit, or start sobbing, or both; the fact that she had just heard the most powerful dark wizard of all times trying to murder her son –

James made to approach her but she evaded him quickly. ''No don't! Just… just stop.''

''Stop what?'' he asked, looking even more anxious now if that was possible.

''This! Stop trying to make me feel better, stop reading this awful book, stop Voldemort, stop… everything…'' her voice cracked.

James' arms encircled her and this time she couldn't find it in her to push him away so she just gave up, her loud sobs the only sound in the otherwise completely silent room.

James rested his head on his wife's quivering shoulder, his eyes burning with unshed tears. He made a valiant effort to apply every little bit of logic he had left in this situation: They were still just at the beginning of the book; since it had to do with Harry, he obviously survived this. Yet, every sob Lily emitted shook them both and threatened to drive every bit of logic away until all that remained was his misery. Nevertheless he did not have the luxury of breaking down. One of them had to be strong for the other and since Lily clearly could not fulfill that role… well, then he'd be strong for her. Even if, ultimately, it was just a facade.

Some time passed – nobody could tell exactly how long – until, finally, Lily's sobs quieted and she disentangled herself from James. Even though her eyes were red and she was still deathly pale, the young woman looked more collected and she apologized to Lee for snapping at him.

James took both her hands in his and held them there, before telling Lee, in a quiet voice, to keep on reading.

**As the pain from Harry's scar forced his eyes shut, his wand acted of its own accord. He felt it drag his hand around like some great magnet, saw a spurt of golden fire through his half-closed eyelids, heard a crack and a scream of fury.**

Kingsley narrowed his eyes at the book. He had never heard of an incident before in which wands acted of their own accord, without any direct orders from a wizard.

**The remaining Death Eater yelled; Voldemort screamed, " NO!" Somehow, Harry found his nose an inch from the dragon-fire button. He punched it with his wand-free hand and the bike shot more flames into the air, hurtling straight toward the ground.**

**"Hagrid!" Harry called, holding on to the bike for dear life. "Hagrid – Accio Hagrid! "**

''It doesn't work this way I'm afraid,'' said Dumbledore so quietly that no one else heard him, his words tinged with sadness. He kept hoping against hope that Hagrid had somehow made it through that fall, but honestly, what were the chances of that?

**The motorbike sped up, sucked towards the earth. Face level with the handlebars, Harry could see nothing but distant lights growing nearer and nearer: He was going to crash and there was nothing he could do about it. Behind him came another scream, **_**"Your wand, Selwyn, give me your wand!"**_

**He felt Voldemort before he saw him. Looking sideways, he stared into the red eyes and was sure they would be the last thing he ever saw: Voldemort preparing to curse him once more –**

James' hold on Lily's hands became painful yet she returned the squeeze with just as much fervor. Fred experienced an almost overwhelming urge to put his fingers in his ears and start singing loudly so he could block Lee's voice. _If that's how it ends, I'd rather not hear it. _

**And then Voldemort vanished. Harry looked down and saw Hagrid spread-eagled on the ground below him. He pulled hard at the handlebars to avoid hitting him, groped for the brake, but with an earsplitting, ground trembling crash, he smashed into a muddy pond.**

**A/N: If you managed to read all that I offer you my sincerest congratulations! Kay, so just a reminder; Reviews are my sun and stars (cookies to whoever gets that reference :P) I'm not gonna tell you that if you review I'll write faster, cause honestly that's something I can't control. Plus as the story goes on, the chapters become progressively longer and more important, so I'll need time in order to get the reactions the way I think they should be. **_**But, **_**hearing from you is my motivation. It makes me feel like the stuff I write matters, people like it. So **_**please, **_**click the little button at the end of the page and leave me a review, even if it's just a couple of words. ****I love seeing your thoughts **


	5. The Fallen Warrior

**Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter. Trust me, I wouldn't be here if I did. **

**A/N: Hello! Is anybody out there? ****Can anyone hear me? **

**So, I'm back. I'm very sorry for the wait. You can blame it on my laziness and the fact that my life suddenly became so busy that I barely had enough time to write, and when I did, most of it sucked. I am generally satisfied with the way this chapter turned out, but you should not hesitate to let me know what you thought of it. It ended up being even longer than the last one, somehow. I contemplated splitting it in half, but in the end I thought that since you waited so long, you deserve a whole chapter. **

**As usual, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! You guys are amazing and the reason I don't quit writing whenever I feel I'm not good enough ( which is basically all the time.) **

**Alright, to end this message, here is chapter 5. I hope you'll enjoy it!**

* * *

It took a couple seconds for the people in the room to realize that Lee had stopped talking and that meant the chapter had ended.

''So…Harry survived?'' asked Ginny tentatively.

''I guess so,'' replied Remus in the same manner. He wasn't sure at all, to be honest. Besides, even if Harry had somehow managed to elude Voldemort, the way he crashed in the ground could very well prove to be pretty harmful.

''How about you stop _guessing_ and let us read so we can know for sure,'' snapped Lily. She saw Remus' surprised expression; the two of them rarely argued. Yet she found she couldn't care whether or not she had hurt his feelings. All she could focus on was whether Harry was alright and the only way to be sure was to hear it for herself.

Lee looked at the book in his hands but, as he turned the page to get to the next chapter, he felt dread pooling at his stomach. He didn't want to be the one who had to read anymore. The last chapter was bad enough. What if Harry really was in a bad shape? _Or anyone else, _he reminded himself. They had no idea what had happened to the others, since the book was apparently from Harry's point of view. If someone was hurt, or worse… He didn't think he'd able to give voice to that.

Dumbledore seemed to read his thoughts, however, if the understanding look he gave him was any indication.

''How about I read for a little while?'' he asked the dreadlocked man in a kind voice. Lee felt relief course through his veins as he handed the thick novel to his old Headmaster with a grateful smile.

Dumbledore returned the smile but it faded the moment he averted his gaze from Lee and directed it towards the book he was now holding. In truth he wasn't all that eager to read either, yet one look at Lee and the others made it clear he had no other choice.

Lily was still trying to calm down from her breakdown. James looked equally distraught; their hands were still joined in a grip so tight it had to be painful. Alice had laid a hand on her friend's shoulder, though she doubted Lily even noticed it.

Remus had one arm around Tonks' waist, keeping her close to him. He needed the warmth and comfort her presence provided, it grounded him. He looked to his right at Sirius, who was staring intensely at the opposite wall. Anyone else might see his friend and think he was fine, but Remus knew better. After all these years he could tell whenever Sirius felt angry or upset, even though he usually managed to cover it pretty well. After all, growing up in a house like his, that was the only way he could cope. Remus debated whether or not he should offer some comforting words, but everything that came to his mind seemed either stupid or not enough and in the end he remained silent.

Ginny rested her head on her mother's shoulder. It quivered slightly every now and again but for the most part Molly had regained her composure. Ginny felt a surge of admiration mingled with pride. To anyone else her mother might seem like a common enough woman; sweet and plump, not really anything significant about her. _But they couldn't be more wrong. _Molly Weasley had strength and a resolve that not many could claim to possess. And those traits were made clear in stressful situations like this one.

Ginny was immensely envious of that at the moment. She usually prided herself on being tough and not falling apart whenever something was wrong. She remembered all the times she had stubbornly done whatever she could think of to prove to her brothers that, just because she was the youngest and a girl, it didn't automatically make her helpless, nor did she need protecting; she could protect herself just fine, thank you very much. Also, even though he had never said it, she knew Harry considered her to be strong and not some damsel in distress and she quite liked that. However, right now it was as if whatever strength she might have had deserted her. She had never felt more scared, not even when the Deatheaters had barged into Hogwarts a couple of months ago, or during that night in the Ministry. At least then she had been a part of the events, able to do something, to defend herself and her friends. Now she couldn't do anything, save for sitting uselessly in a chair, listening to various people reading from a book, not knowing if the next line would tell of joyful or mournful things. And not being able to do a damn thing about it, either way.

_If Harry could see me now, he wouldn't think me strong, all he'd see would be a trembling, stupid girl, _she thought vehemently, shame steadily rising to war with the all – consuming fear inside her, when her mind suddenly took another course. _If Harry could see me that would mean he was here and then I could slap him and kiss him and hold him and make sure he never leaves me again. _She felt his absence more acutely now than ever. _Please, let him survive this, he has to, he always survives. _

''Can someone start reading then, or are we supposed to just stare broodily around some more?'' Charlie's tone was harsh and he seemed to surprise even himself, yet he met everyone's looks defiantly. He didn't like the book any more than the others, yet they had no choice but to keep reading. He hadn't noticed any handy exit signs in the barren walls of the room they were in and if he had to choose between hearing more horrific stuff like the last chapter or remaining silent until whatever had brought them here took them back… Well, at least reading would force his mind to focus elsewhere and stop coming up with grim possibilities of what had befallen his father and brothers. And he needed to know what had happened. He couldn't bear the uncertainty and the what ifs any longer.

''Of course,'' said Dumbledore softly and with one last glance around him, he cleared his throat and began.

**Chapter 5**

**Fallen Warrior**

_Fallen Warrior?_ Kingsley did not like the sound of that at all. There were too many possibilities as to whom the title might be referring and none of them were in their favor.

**"Hagrid?"**

Hagrid's head snapped up at the mention of his name. That must be Harry who was calling him, right? So he must have survived, right? But his hopeful expression morphed into a frown. That fall had to have left him some serious injuries. Harry shouldn't be worrying about him, not when Hagrid was the one who had so royally screwed up by insisting to demonstrate his non – existent skills in magic. The boy needed to take care of himself.

**Harry struggled to raise himself out of the debris of metal and leather that surrounded him; his hands sank into inches of muddy water as he tried to stand. He could not understand where Voldemort had gone and expected him to swoop out of the darkness at any moment. Something hot and wet was trickling down his chin and from his forehead. **

Lily's elation at realizing her son had survived the Deatheaters' attack and the violent collision to the ground was tempered. The hot and wet stuff was obviously blood and he must have other wounds as well that would need to be tended to. Where had he landed? Was anyone close who could help him? What if he had crashed somewhere remote and nobody knew where he was?

**He crawled out of the pond and stumbled toward the great dark mass on the ground that was Hagrid.**

**"Hagrid? Hagrid, talk to me –"**

**But the dark mass did not stir.**

McGonagall did her best to appear calm and collected, seeing as the majority of the others was falling apart, but her erratic heartbeat gave away her worry. She had an idea about where they had landed – well, crashed more likely – and if that was the case then they should be safe, but the situation didn't exactly sound optimal. Harry was clearly hurt and Hagrid… But no, she wouldn't believe he was dead, not until she had no other choice.

**"Who's there? Is it Potter? Are you Harry Potter?"**

''Who is this?'' asked Lily. She found that, when she didn't snap or shout like before, her voice was still a bit hoarse. Many had their suspicions and Tonks had a hopeful look on her face, yet there was no answer. It was like they were afraid they were going to jinx it or something if anyone said it out loud.

**Harry did not recognize the man's voice. Then a woman shouted. "They've crashed. ****Ted! Crashed in the garden!"**

''Yes!'' Tonks' shout was loud and accompanied by her fist pumping in the air triumphantly, which made her husband and several others let out relieved chuckles.

''Ted is my dad, Ted Tonks,'' she clarified for those from the past and watched their expressions turn from worried and curious to relieved and glad. If that was indeed Tonks' father who had spoken, then that meant Harry and Hagrid had done it, they had reached their destination.

**Harry's head was swimming.**

**"Hagrid," he repeated stupidly, and his knees buckled.**

James had barely had a couple of seconds to appreciate the fact that his son finally seemed to be safe, before fear gripped him again. What was wrong with Harry? Rationally he knew it was probably the repercussions from the fall, but his mind was not at its most rational state at the moment. And even then, who knew what kind of injuries his fall had left him?

**The next thing he knew, he was lying on his back on what felt like cushions, with a burning sensation in his ribs and right arm. His missing tooth had been regrown. The scar on his forehead was still throbbing.**

**"Hagrid?"**

Hagrid lips curled in a faint smile. He was pleased Harry cared so much for him, yet the boy's constant worrying coupled with the fact that there was no response from himself (or his future self?) made him a bit uneasy. He had put on a brave face and acted as though the possibility of his death didn't really affect him so long as Harry was alright. It was true of course, Harry would always be his first priority, but still…he couldn't help wishing he had somehow survived after falling from who – knew – how – many feet.

**He opened his eyes and saw that he was lying on a sofa in an unfamiliar, lamplit sitting room. His rucksack lay on the floor a short distance away, wet and muddy. A fair-haired, big-bellied man was watching Harry anxiously.**

**"Hagrid's fine, son," said the man, "the wife's seeing to him now.**

Relieved sighs broke out across the room as people comprehended the news that Hagrid had actually survived and he was going to be fine. It felt like a part of the weight on their shoulders had been lifted off. Some were smiling widely, clapping Hagrid jovially at the back; others had started talking, each trying to appear nonchalant now that they knew what would happen, or attempting to convince everyone else that they weren't worried, not really; _of course _they knew Hagrid would survive. The man in question's smile was threatening to split his face in half as he took everything in.

**How are you feeling? Anything else broken? I've fixed your ribs, your tooth, and your arm.**

As happy as Molly was about Hagrid, she couldn't keep the frown from her face as she heard how badly Harry had been hurt. As usual the maternal instinct rose inside her; a strong desire to take care of him, shield him from everything bad in this world. Let him be happy and carefree, like a 17 – year – old boy should be.

**I'm Ted, by the way, Ted Tonks – Dora's father."**

Tonks beamed widely. Her ''Yes'' was muttered this time instead of shouted, but it was in such a gleeful tone that Remus pulled her closer to him and placed a light kiss at her temple.

That was why he had fallen in love with her, he mused. Her childlike enthusiasm at being useful, being able to help, even indirectly. All the times when he was bitter or distressed and she would just sit next to him with her bubblegum – pink hair, say something cheeky or stumble into any object imaginable and he just couldn't suppress his smile, suddenly everything that seemed so despairing a moment ago was not that important anymore. She was like his very own ray of sunshine.

**Harry sat up too quickly. Lights popped in front of his eyes and he felt sick and giddy.**

**"Voldemort –"**

There were a few flinches and sudden intakes of breath at the casual mention of the name, but mostly the people in the room had bigger things to worry about than to fret over whether he was called Voldemort or the Dark Lord or You – Know – Who.

**"Easy, now," said Ted Tonks, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder and pushing him back against the cushions. "That was a nasty crash you just had.**

''You don't say,'' said George sarcastically, still feeling a bit rattled after the last chapter.

**What happened, anyway? Something go wrong with the bike? Arthur Weasley overstretch himself again, him and his Muggle contraptions?"**

''I wish,'' scoffed Frank. His eyes widened when he realized what he had said and he looked at Arthur in alarm. ''I…that's not what I meant Arthur, of course it's none of your fault. You know that, right?''

''Of course.''

Others echoed him and Arthur smiled reassuringly at them, but inside he could feel doubt nagging at him. His _Muggle contraptions, _as people were so fond of calling them, were partly to blame for the way Harry and Hagrid ended up. Sure he had no way of knowing that Deatheaters were going to show up and screw everything up, but still… What was he thinking, putting that button on the motorbike when he knew it wasn't a hundred percent safe? He could tell Hagrid was blaming himself for the demolition of Sirius' bike, yet the half – giant wouldn't have been placed in a position where he felt he had to use his magic and _fail_, if Arthur hadn't placed that stupid thing there in the first place. He tried to find something positive, that if Hagrid hadn't used that button they wouldn't have managed to escape the Deatheaters, but he didn't know that for sure. Perhaps they would have found some other way to fight them off. What he did have proof of was his brilliant idea's disastrous results.

**"No," said Harry, as his scar pulsed like an open wound. "Death Eaters, loads of them – we were chased –"**

**"Death Eaters?" said Ted sharply. "What d'you mean, Death Eaters? I thought they didn't know you were being moved tonight, I thought –"**

''So did we all, for all the good it did us,'' said Bill in a weary voice. His mind went to the note that had accompanied the book. _Certain details will remain in your subconscious._ Couldn't this detail be one of them? Was it too much to hope that maybe one of them would remember enough of the fiasco that Harry's rescue had turned out to be, to be able to warn the rest in time?

**"They knew," said Harry.**

**Ted Tonks looked up at the ceiling as though he could see through it to the sky above.**

**"Well, we know our protective charms hold, then, don't we? They shouldn't be able to get within a hundred yards of the place in any direction."**

''So that's why Voldemort disappeared all of a sudden!'' exclaimed Alice, pleased to have an explanation. Not that she minded all that much – Voldemort being gone is always good, no matter how it happens – but it was kind of puzzling.

**Now Harry understood why Voldemort had vanished; it had been at the point when the motorbike crossed the barrier of the Order's charms. He only hoped they would continue to work: He imagined Voldemort, a hundred yards above them as they spoke, looking for a way to penetrate what Harry visualized as a great transparent bubble.**

_Well, that's one way to think of it. _A faint smirk tugged at Mad Eye's lips.

**He swung his legs off the sofa; he needed to see Hagrid with his own eyes before he would believe that he was alive. He had barely stood up, however, when a door opened and Hagrid squeezed through it, his face covered in mud and blood, limping a little but miraculously alive.**

Dumbledore felt a surge of relief along with happiness when he read that sentence. It would have been really grievous to lose such a loyal and valuable friend.

**"Harry!"**

**Knocking over two delicate tables and an aspidistra, he covered the floor between them in two strides and pulled Harry into a hug that nearly cracked his newly repaired ribs.**

Snorts echoed all over the room, though not in a mocking tone, but rather out of joy from seeing Hagrid alive and well and behaving like his usual self.

**"Blimey, Harry, how did yeh get out o' that? I thought we were both goners."**

**"Yeah, me too. I can't believe –"**

Sirius scowled. Yes the situation had been highly dangerous, did they really have to keep saying it over and over again? Couldn't they all just be happy they had survived and be done with it? He really didn't need the reminder that his godson had been – _once again _– in mortal danger and he absolutely refused to contemplate what would have happened if Harry hadn't reached the protected area when he did.

**Harry broke off. He had just noticed the woman who had entered the room behind Hagrid.**

**"You!" he shouted, and he thrust his hand into his pocket, but it was empty.**

''Huh?'' Fred's confused expression was mirrored by several others, who failed to understand the reason for Harry's strong reaction.

Tonks gaze fell on Sirius, who shook his head as if it was obvious.

''What?'' she said. ''The woman who walked in is most likely my mum, why would Harry…'' she trailed off as her eyes widened in comprehension. Harry had never seen her mother, but he had seen someone else who bore a striking resemblance to her.

''Care to let the rest of us in on your sudden epiphany?'' asked Remus.

''Nope,'' smirked Sirius.

''You're just going to have to wait and find out,'' added Tonks teasingly.

**"Your wand's here, son," said Ted, tapping it on Harry's arm. "It fell right beside you, I picked it up…And that's my wife you're shouting at."**

**"Oh, I'm – I'm sorry."**

**As she moved forward into the room, Mrs. Tonks's resemblance to her sister Bellatrix became much less pronounced: Her hair was a light's oft brown and her eyes were wider and kinder. Nevertheless, she looked a little haughty after Harry's exclamation. **

''Okay, yeah, now I get it,'' said Remus, barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes at Tonks and Sirius' self – satisfied grins.

Ginny's smile slipped a little as a thought entered her mind. _Of Harry would react like that. _Even if you didn't factor in the fact that she was batshit crazy, Bellatrix Lestrange was the one who had murdered his godfather right in front of him and _relished _in it. Ginny looked at Sirius, smiling and teasing Remus and she hoped that thought wouldn't cross his mind.

**"What happened to our daughter?" she asked. "Hagrid said you were ambushed; where is Nymphadora?"**

**"I don't know," said Harry. "We don't know what happened to anyone else."**

''I'm sure I'm fine,'' said Tonks softly, partly to reassure herself and partly because Remus had taken to staring at her as if she was going to disappear any second and he wanted to commit her to his memory.

Others looked at Tonks as well, or exchanged looks with each other. No matter how much Tonks insisted she was fine though, the truth was what Harry said. They didn't know what had happened to her. They didn't know what had happened to anyone else.

**She and Ted exchanged looks. A mixture of fear and guilt gripped Harry at the sight of their expressions, if any of the others had died, it was his fault, all his fault. He had consented to the plan, given them his hair . . .**

Several groans were emitted from those familiar with Harry's ever – present need to blame himself for every bad thing that happened.

''Classic Harry,'' muttered Fred, the annoyance in his voice mingled with affection.

''Of course it's not Harry's fault!'' proclaimed Bill emphatically.

''Besides, we have plenty of other contestants for that,'' said Charlie.

''The top one being a tie between our lovely, homicidal Dark Lord and whoever it is that cannot help but spill their guts to him,'' said Sirius, half joking half serious. He still refused to believe that anyone they knew and trusted enough would betray the rest in such a way, yet after everything that had happened he was experiencing some difficulty coming up with any other plausible explanation.

**"The Portkey," he said, remembering all of a sudden. "We've got to get back to the Burrow and find out – then we'll be able to send you word, or – or Tonks will, once she's –"**

**"Dora'll be ok, 'Dromeda,"**

Tonks heaved a sigh at the mention of her name.

**"She knows her stuff, she's been in plenty of tight spots with the Aurors. The Portkey's through here," he added to Harry. "It's supposed to leave in three minutes, if you want to take it."**

**"Yeah, we do," said Harry. He seized his rucksack, swung it onto his shoulders.**

**"I –"**

**He looked at Mrs. Tonks, wanting to apologize for the state of fear in which he left her and for which he felt so terribly responsible, but no words occurred to him that did not seem hollow and insincere.**

''Oh, sweetheart.'' Lily's voice was low and soft and tinged with sadness. She just wished there was some way she could take him in her arms and assure him that everything was going to be fine, no one blamed him.

**"I'll tell Tonks – Dora – to send word, when she . . .**

''Ugh, not you too, Harry!'' Tonks threw her hands up in frustration as snorts broke out around the room.

**Thanks for patching us up, thanks for everything, I –"**

**He was glad to leave the room and follow Ted Tonks along a short hallway and into a bedroom. Hagrid came after them, bending low to avoid hitting his head on the door lintel.**

**"There you go, son. That's the Portkey."**

**Mr. Tonks was pointing to a small, silver-backed hairbrush lying on the dressing table.**

**"Thanks," said Harry, reaching out to place a finger on it, ready to leave.**

**"Wait a moment," said Hagrid, looking around. "Harry, where's Hedwig?"**

Hagrid winced. He just had to ask, didn't he? Of course he couldn't have known, but still. Harry was already in a foul mood. The last thing he needed was something else to add fuel to the fire.

**"She . . . she got hit," said Harry.**

**The realization crashed over him: He felt ashamed of himself as the tears stung his eyes. The owl had been his companion, his one great link with the magical world whenever he had been forced to return to the Dursleys.**

''I never thought I'd feel bad about an owl,'' said Kingsley under his breath.

It was clear from everyone's solemn expressions that they understood the importance of the loss Harry was facing.

**Hagrid reached out a great hand and patted him painfully on the shoulder.**

**"Never mind," he said gruffly, "Never mind. She had a great old life –"**

**"Hagrid!" said Ted Tonks warningly, as the hairbrush glowed bright blue, and Hagrid only just got his forefinger to it in time.**

**With a jerk behind the navel as though an invisible hook and line had dragged him forward, Harry was pulled into nothingness, spinning uncontrollably, his finger glued to the Portkey as he and Hagrid hurtled away from Mr. Tonks. Seconds later, Harry's feet slammed onto hard ground and he fell onto his hands and knees in the yard of the Burrow. He heard screams. Throwing aside the no longer glowing hairbrush, Harry stood up, swaying slightly, and saw Mrs. Weasley and Ginny running down the steps by the back door as Hagrid, who had also collapsed on landing, clambered laboriously to his feet.**

**"Harry? You are the real Harry? What happened? Where are the others?" cried Mrs. Weasley.**

''Give him a second to breathe, would ya Mum?'' said George, mostly joking. From the withering look Molly shot him, however, it was clear his quip was not exactly appreciated.

**"What d'you mean? Isn't anyone else back?" Harry panted.**

**The answer was clearly etched in Mrs. Weasley's pale face.**

Molly's face was indeed pale as she realized what it meant that nobody else had returned.

''But maybe Harry and Hagrid are simply the first ones to arrive because they reached their destination before the others. I mean the bike did accelerate a lot after Hagrid pushed that but… er, in the end,'' said Alice, trying to be reasonable.

Arthur shook his head. ''Everyone was supposed to arrive at a specific order. Harry and Hagrid were third in line, which means…''

''Two more pairs should have arrived,'' Alice finished for him. _Oh. _That was not good. That was not good at all.

**"The Death Eaters were waiting for us," Harry told her, "We were surrounded the moment we took off – they knew it was tonight – I don't know what happened to anyone else, four of them chased us, it was all we could do to get away, and then Voldemort caught up with us –"**

**He could hear the self-justifying note in his voice, the plea for her to understand why he did not know what had happened to her sons, but –**

**"Thank goodness you're all right," she said, pulling him into a hug he did not feel he deserved.**

Despite her steadily – growing fear that something bad had most likely happened to the ones who hadn't returned, Molly's face softened immediately when she heard that.

''I really wish he would stop feeling as if he is unworthy of our love and affection,'' she said, more to herself than to anyone in particular, but she didn't miss the grateful look James gave her. ''It's not his fault, none of it is.''

**"Haven't go' any brandy, have yeh, Molly?" asked Hagrid a little shakily, "Fer medicinal purposes?"**

**She could have summoned it by magic, but as she hurried back toward the crooked house, Harry knew that she wanted to hide her face. He turned to Ginny and she answered his unspoken plea for information at once.**

**"Ron and Tonks should have been back first, but they missed their Portkey, it came back without them," she said, pointing at a rusty oil can lying on the ground nearby. "And that one," she pointed at an ancient sneaker, "should have been Dad and Fred's, they were supposed to be second. You and Hagrid were third and," she checked her watch, "if they made it, George and Lupin ought to be back in about a minute."**

The people mentioned became the unwilling recipients of several piercing looks.

Remus and Tonks began talking in hushed voices, each attempting to reassure the other they were fine, but failing.

Molly had taken hold of her husband's hands in such a way that it seemed unlikely she would let them go any time soon. Ginny alternated between staring at her brothers and staring at her father, while she was wondering how on earth she managed to sound so calm in the book.

**Mrs. Weasley reappeared carrying a bottle of brandy, which she handed to Hagrid. He uncorked it and drank it straight down in one.**

**"Mum!" shouted Ginny pointing to a spot several feet away.**

**A blue light had appeared in the darkness: It grew larger and brighter, and Lupin and George appeared, spinning and then falling.**

''Oh, thank goodness!'' said Tonks sagging a bit in her chair in relief.

James and Sirius had huge grins on their faces as they looked at their best friend. Molly was about to express the same sentiment, but the words got stuck in her throat after hearing the next sentence.

**Harry knew immediately that there was something wrong: Lupin was supporting George, who was unconscious and whose face was covered in blood.**

Fred leapt up from his chair so quickly, it almost toppled over to the floor.

''What?'' he shouted loudly, the color draining from his face. ''No, no, no, this is not right. He cannot be covered in blood, no way, you must have read it wrong!''

''Freddie…'' George had gotten up as well and placed a tentative hand on his shoulder. ''Calm down.''

''Calm down? I just heard that you're covered in blood, not to mention unconscious and you want me to _calm down?_ Sure, I'll get right on that.''

Fred drew in a breath, preparing to yell some more, but stopped himself short when he saw the expression on his twin's face. _He's scared, _he realized. _He's just as scared as I am. _Recognizing that didn't make things any better, but he did succeed in wresting himself under some semblance of control, enough to tell Dumbledore to resume reading, seeing as the rest of his family looked to be frozen in their seats. He noticed George hadn't removed his hand from his shoulder and felt ridiculously grateful for that.

**Harry ran forward and seized George's legs. Together, he and Lupin carried George into the house and through the kitchen to the living room, where they laid him on the sofa. As the lamplight fell across George's head, Ginny gasped and Harry's stomach lurched: One of George's ears was missing. The side of his head and neck were drenched in wet, shockingly scarlet blood.**

''My… my ear? I lost my _ear?_''

George's expression was so dumbfounded, it was almost comical. Frank actually let out a snort of laughter, which he tried to conceal as cough, feeling ashamed of himself.

''But… how can I have lost my ear?'' George went on. ''I mean, you hear about people getting injured, losing their arms or legs, even their eyes,'' Mad – Eye smiled dryly, ''but not ears. It's a bit lame,'' he finished, a small laugh escaping from his lips.

''So glad you're amused by this,'' snapped Bill, his face looking pallid.

''No, that's not – '' George tried to say before Molly emitted a sob and rushed to his side, throwing her hands around him in a bone – crushing hug.

''Mum… can't… breathe,'' gasped George, but that only resulted in Molly hugging him tighter and sobbing harder. It also seemed to work as some kind of signal, because it prompted the rest of the Weasleys – and even Lee and Fleur - to get up and join in the hug.

Except Fred. The red – haired man was still standing in the same place, his whole body rigid, save for a muscle playing in his jaw. He couldn't understand it. Now that he knew what George's injury was and that he was most likely going to be fine afterwards, he felt worse than before.

''Fred?'' George's voice. It looked like his twin had in fact found some air to breathe in during all that hugging. Good for him. ''Fred, are you okay?''

''Great! Walking on sunshine,'' His hoarse voice kind of contradicted with his words, but whatever, he had more important things to worry about.

''You don't sound great to me.''

Since George had been addressing his back so far, Fred whirled around to face him. ''What do you want me to say?''

''I don't know,'' admitted George. ''Tell you what, though,'' he hastened to add when Fred rolled his eyes and his face crumpled a little as he made to turn away again, ''at least now we know for sure we're going to make it through this war.''

''What do you mean?''

''Well, you're the one who always goes on about us inevitably getting hurt at some point. So, I did. Get hurt. Which means that it happened, it's over and the two of us are going to be fine and dandy from now on.''

Fred let out a sound that was something between a laugh and a sob and suddenly he was the one threatening to cut off his brother's oxygen supply. However, George found he didn't care this time. He simply returned the hug with just as much fervor. Somehow, at that moment, having his ear cut off did not seem nearly as lame or funny as it did before. To his horror, he felt tears pricking at his eyes and he blinked rapidly to clear them. It would not do to cry in front of Dumbledore and McGonagall, not to mention all those other people, who were currently trying to pretend they weren't looking at him and Fred.

''That's some messed – up logic,'' said Fred when they finally let go of each other. This time it was him who had the hand on his brother's shoulder.

''Always happy to help,'' replied George with a wink as they sat down.

Fred chuckled and was glad it sounded a lot like his normal laugh. His hand stayed where it was.

**No sooner had Mrs. Weasley bent over her son that Lupin grabbed Harry by the upper arm and dragged him, none too gently, back into the kitchen, where Hagrid was still attempting to ease his bulk through the back door.**

''Remus… what exactly are you doing?'' asked James, confused.

Remus merely shrugged.

**"Oi!" said Hagrid indignantly, "Le' go of him! Le' go of Harry!"**

**Lupin ignored him.**

''No seriously, I'm with Hagrid here,'' said Sirius. ''What are you doing?''

Remus exchanged a knowing look with Kingsley. ''We need to know if he really is Harry,'' he said, turning to face James and Sirius.

''Who else would he be?'' said Hagrid.

''Voldemort knows of our plan,'' put in Kingsley. ''It's possible he used the Polyjuice potion to create an impostor. We have to check if Harry is indeed who he appears to be. And not only him; everyone.''

**"What creature sat in the corner the first time that Harry Potter visited my office at Hogwarts?" he said, giving Harry a small shake. "Answer me!"**

**"A – a grindylow in a tank, wasn't it?"**

**Lupin released Harry and fell back against a kitchen cupboard.**

**"Wha' was tha' about?" roared Hagrid.**

**"I'm sorry, Harry, but I had to check," said Lupin tersely. "We've been betrayed. Voldemort knew that you were being moved tonight and the only people who could have told him were directly involved in the plan. You might have been an impostor."**

_And so we return to whoever our bloody traitor is, _thought Mad – Eye tempestuously. He swore he would catch that person and make them regret the very first moment they considered divulging the Order's secrets to Voldemort.

**"None of the Order would have told Voldemort we were moving tonight," said Harry. The idea was dreadful to him, he could not believe it of any of them. "Voldemort only caught up with me toward the end, he didn't know which one I was in the beginning. If he'd been in on the plan he'd have known from the start I was the one with Hagrid."**

''No one wants to believe it,'' said McGonagall in a resigned kind of voice.

''But that does not make eet any less true,'' said Fleur in a harsh tone, as if daring the others to contradict her.

''Harry does have a point though,'' remarked Tonks, looking skeptical. ''Whoever Voldemort's source is, they clearly left out some parts of the plan. The question is why.'' She let her gaze travel round the room, thinking. Could it be that someone who was with them right now was the one to blame? Perhaps the plan had remained in their memory with the exception of a few crucial details and when they had finished reading the book and left the room, they had decided to let Voldemort know, for whatever reason. But who could it be?

_No. _She shook her head determinedly. _I'll drive myself crazy if I keep thinking like that and suspect everyone. _Besides, she couldn't make herself actually believe that any of the people around her would become a traitor. There had to be a reason not everyone was summoned in this room, to find out all the details about the War. It was only them. That had to mean something, right? It had to mean that they were all on the same side, that nobody would use that knowledge against them. She had to believe that.

**"Voldemort caught up with you?" said Lupin sharply. "What happened? How did you escape?"**

''Do we need to go through all that again?'' Lily all but moaned. She really wasn't looking forward to a rehash of the motorbike ride from hell.

**Harry explained how the Death Eaters pursuing them had seemed to recognize him as the true Harry, how they had abandoned the chase, how they must have summoned Voldemort, who had appeared just before he and Hagrid had reached the sanctuary of Tonks's parents.**

**"They recognized you? But how? What had you done?"**

''What indeed,'' said Remus, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He still couldn't believe Harry had acted so stupidly.

**"I . . ." Harry tried to remember; the whole journey seemed like a blur of panic and confusion. "I saw Stan Shunpike . . . . You know, the bloke who was the conductor on the Knight Bus? And I tried to Disarm him instead of – well, he doesn't know what he's doing, does he? He must be Imperiused!"**

**Lupin looked aghast.**

**"Harry, the time for Disarming is past! These people are trying to capture and kill you! At least Stun if you aren't prepared to kill!"**

''Exactly!'' said Remus emphatically.

''You know you're practically agreeing with yourself here, right Moony?'' said Sirius.

''I'm still right.''

''Yeah, but I mean this is more or less the same thing you said before. You could try being a bit more original.''

''Next time I'll make sure I'm more diverse in the way I phrase my thoughts. Just for you. Satisfied?''

''Immensely,'' came the answer, followed by Sirius' bark – like laugh.

**"We were hundreds of feet up! Stan's not himself, and if I Stunned him and he'd fallen, he'd have died the same as if I'd used Avada Kedavra! Expelliarmus saved me from Voldemort two years ago," Harry added defiantly. Lupin was reminding him of the sneering Hufflepuff Zacharias Smith, who had jeered at Harry for wanting to teach Dumbledore's Army how to Disarm.**

''This is not a fight with your classmate, Harry!'' said Remus, feeling exasperated. ''This is the real world and in the real world right now it's kill or be killed. And using Expelliarmus is going to get you killed, especially against this kind of opponents. ''

''He's not wrong about that, though. Stan would most likely have died after such a fall,'' said Charlie in a low voice.

**"Yes, Harry," said Lupin with painful restraint, "and a great number of Death Eaters witnessed that happening! Forgive me, but it was a very unusual move then, under the imminent threat of death. Repeating it tonight in front of Death Eaters who either witnessed or heard about the first occasion was close to suicidal!"**

**"So you think I should have killed Stan Shunpike?" said Harry angrily.**

Many people looked at Remus questioningly.

''Of course not!'' he shouted. ''But it is what anyone else would have done in his place. It's what's expected. Only a handful of people would have reacted differently and unfortunately for Harry, the Deatheaters presume him as one of these people. That's why they were so quick to realize which Harry was the real one! Expelliarmus is Harry's signature and if he's not careful, I fear it will also be his downfall.''

Lily's face had paled considerably by the end of Remus' heated little speech.

**"Of course not," said Lupin, "but the Death Eaters – frankly, most people! – would have expected you to attack back! Expelliarmus is a useful spell, Harry, but the Death Eaters seem to think it is your signature move, and I urge you not to let it become so!"**

**Lupin was making Harry feel idiotic, and yet there was still a grain of defiance inside him.**

**"I won't blast people out of my way just because they're there," said Harry, "That's Voldemort's job."**

Remus groaned as he covered his head with his hands for a second.

''This is not what I mean – '' he started saying, his voice even louder now, before he got interrupted.

''Um, Remus? You do realize Harry cannot possibly hear you and the rest of us actually agree with you, so there's no reason to give us permanent ear damage.''

''… Bite me, James.''

**Lupin's retort was lost: Finally succeeding in squeezing through the door, Hagrid staggered to a chair and sat down; it collapsed beneath him. Ignoring his mingled oaths and apologies, Harry addressed Lupin again.**

**"Will George be okay?"**

The Weasleys tensed up at the reminder of George's injury. Not that any of them had managed to put it from their minds.

**All Lupin's frustration with Harry seemed to drain away at the question.**

**"I think so, although there's no chance of replacing his ear, not when it's been cursed off -"**

Arthur sighed loudly in relief. Ginny grabbed her brother's hand and squeezed tightly for a couple of seconds before releasing it, all the while looking straight ahead.

**There was a scuffling from outside. Lupin dived for the back door; Harry leapt over Hagrid's legs and sprinted into the yard.**

**Two figures had appeared in the yard, and as Harry ran toward them he realized they were Hermione, now returning to her normal appearance, and Kingsley, both clutching a bent coat hanger. **

Kingsley seemed very pleased to hear he had survived the attack.

**Hermione flung herself into Harry's arms, but Kingsley showed no pleasure at the sight of any of them. Over Hermione's shoulder Harry saw him raise his wand and point it at Lupin's chest.**

**"The last words Albus Dumbledore spoke to the pair of us!"**

**"'Harry is the best hope we have. Trust him,'" said Lupin calmly.**

James trained his gaze at his best friend, while Lily was staring at Kingsley and Dumbledore. Somehow that sentence did not sound at all reassuring. What was their son supposed to do?

**Kingsley turned his wand on Harry, but Lupin said, "It's him, I've checked!"**

**"All right, all right!" said Kingsley, stowing his wand back beneath his cloak, "But somebody betrayed us! They knew, they knew it was tonight!"**

**"So it seems," replied Lupin, "but apparently they did not realize that there would be seven Harrys."**

**"Small comfort!" snarled Kingsley. "Who else is back?"**

**"Only Harry, Hagrid, George, and me."**

**Hermione stifled a little moan behind her hand.**

There were similar reactions from those around the table. It appeared that, somehow, in the last few minutes, they had managed to forget so many others were still missing.

Molly let out a small whimper as she burrowed her head in the crook of her husband's neck. _Arthur isn't back yet, George is probably still unconscious, Ron and Bill and Fred might be dead for all I know. _Her mind traveled to Percy, as it was wont to do whenever she became particularly distressed. _He's gone too. _And Charlie, he might be here now, but at that time he would still be off to Romania, facing dangerous dragons every day. Her family, which she always thought of as big, suddenly seemed so scattered. _Lost. _

**"What happened to you?" Lupin asked Kingsley.**

**"Followed by five, injured two, might've killed one," Kingsley reeled off, "and we saw You-Know-Who as well, he joined the chase halfway through but vanished pretty quickly. Remus, he can –"**

**"Fly," supplied Harry. "I saw him too, he came after Hagrid and me."**

**"So that's why he left, to follow you!" said Kingsley, "I couldn't understand why he'd vanished. But what made him change targets?"**

**"Harry behaved a little too kindly to Stan Shunpike," said Lupin.**

**"Stan?" repeated Hermione. "But I thought he was in Azkaban?"**

Mad – Eye's lips twisted in a mockery of a smile. ''It really is a pity none of them decided to just politely sit in their unguarded cells, waiting to be locked up again.''

**Kingsley let out a mirthless laugh.**

**"Hermione, there's obviously been a mass breakout which the Ministry has hushed up. Travers's hood fell off when I cursed him, he's supposed to be inside too. But what happened to you, Remus? Where's George?"**

**"He lost an ear," said Lupin.**

**"lost an - ?" repeated Hermione in a high voice.**

**"Snape's work," said Lupin.**

''Snape?'' shouted Charlie.

''That unimaginable bastard,'' said Sirius heatedly.

Lily looked down. Watching the Weasleys, seeing the impact George's injury had on them and knowing that it had been the work of her childhood friend… Logically she knew it had nothing to do with her, but that didn't stop her from feeling ashamed deep down.

**" Snape?" shouted Harry. "You didn't say –"**

**"He lost his hood during the chase. Sectumsempra was always a specialty of Snape's. I wish I could say I'd paid him back in kind, but it was all I could do to keep George on the broom after he was injured, he was losing so much blood."**

_Sectumsebra. _Ginny recalled the gloomy afternoon when Harry had told her, along with Ron and Hermione, of the powerful, dark spell he had used on Draco Malfoy, causing numerous deep gashes to appear all over his body. The thought of the same spell being used against her brother, by someone she had once considered to be on their side, was sickening.

**Silence fell between the four of them as they looked up at the sky. There was no sign of movement; the stars stared back, unblinking, indifferent, unobscured by flying friends. Where was Ron? Where were Fred and Mr. Weasley? Where were Bill, Fleur, Tonks, Mad-Eye, and Mundungus?**

_That's a depressing sentence, if I've ever heard one, _thought McGonagall.

Remus was staring at the opposite wall, as if something fascinating that only he could see was depicted there. Tonks had taken hold of one of his hands and was rubbing circles with her thumbs in a soothing manner; yet he hardly seemed to notice.

Bill and Fleur had each of their hands behind the other's waist; she was leaning against him, her ear right above his heart, his chin resting lightly on her head.

Since no one felt the need to contribute anything worthy of a discussion, Dumbledore kept on reading.

**"Harry, give us a hand!" called Hagrid hoarsely from the door, in which he was stuck again. Glad of something to do, Harry pulled him free, the headed through the empty kitchen and back into the sitting room, where Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were still tending to George. Mrs. Weasley had staunched his bleeding now, and by the lamplight Harry saw a clean gaping hole where George's ear had been.**

**"How is he?"**

**Mrs. Weasley looked around and said, "I can't make it grow back, not when it's been removed by Dark Magic. But it could've been so much worse . . . . He's alive."**

**"Yeah," said Harry. "Thank God."**

George knew everyone's gazes were on him and it made him extremely uncomfortable. What was he supposed to do? Get up and start cheering? Scream for joy? Honestly, apart from that one moment while he was hugging Fred, learning that he was going to lose his ear had not affected him the way he expected. He didn't know if it would be different when he actually experienced it, but for now he felt strangely distanced from the whole thing, as if it hadn't really happened to him. The only thing that bothered him about it was that he and Fred were not going to be identical anymore.

**"Did I hear someone else in the yard?" Ginny asked.**

**"Hermione and Kingsley," said Harry.**

**"Thank goodness," Ginny whispered. They looked at each other; Harry wanted to hug her, hold on to her; he did not even care much that Mrs. Weasley was there, but before he could act on the impulse, there was a great crash from the kitchen.**

Ginny smiled widely, before realizing she was not the only one who had heard that; at which point she blushed profusely and studiously avoided looking at any member of her family. Her gaze landed on James across the table from her, but that did little to improve the situation. The man really was too much like Harry.

**"I'll prove who I am, Kingsley, after I've seen my son, now back off if you know what's good for you!"**

**Harry had never heard Mr. Weasley shout like that before. He burst into the living room, his bald patch gleaming with sweat, his spectacles askew, Fred right behind him, both pale but uninjured.**

''Oh, thank God,'' Molly said in a tremulous voice. Arthur hugged her tightly, before looking apologetically at Kingsley, who merely nodded in understanding.

**"Arthur!" sobbed Mrs. Weasley. "Oh thank goodness!"**

**"How is he?"**

**Mr. Weasley dropped to his knees beside George. For the first time since Harry had known him, Fred seemed to be lost for words. He gaped over the back of the sofa at his twin's wound as if he could not believe what he was seeing.**

Fred stole a quick glance at George and then averted his eyes just as quickly. He could feel his body tensing up again.

**Perhaps roused by the sound of Fred and their father's arrival, George stirred.**

Everyone sat a bit straighter in their chairs, looking at Dumbledore expectantly.

**"How do you feel, Georgie?" whispered Mrs. Weasley.**

**George's fingers groped for the side of his head.**

**"Saintlike," he murmured.**

''What?''

Charlie's exclamation was repeated by many others, who didn't understand what George meant.

**"What's wrong with him?" croaked Fred, looking terrified. "Is his mind affected?"**

''Oh God, now I get it,'' said Fred. ''That's seriously the best you can do?'' he asked his brother. ''Pathetic.''

''As if you could think of something better,'' George retorted, glad to see the familiar twinkle back in his twin's eyes.

**"Saintlike," repeated George, opening his eyes and looking up at his brother.**

**"You see. . . I'm holy. Holey , Fred, geddit?"**

**Mrs. Weasley sobbed harder than ever. Color flooded Fred's pale face.**

**"Pathetic," he told George. "Pathetic! With the whole wide world of ear-related humor before you, you go for holey?"**

''That is pretty pathetic, George, sorry,'' said Sirius, his expression mocking.

George's response was to stick out his tongue at the older man, which only served to make the others laugh.

**"Ah well," said George, grinning at his tear-soaked mother. "You'll be able to tell us apart now, anyway, Mum."**

Molly looked at the twins sharply, her eyes still red – rimmed. She hadn't thought of that. Truth be told though, as much as she complained and berated the two of them every time they used to confuse her by trying each to pass for the other, she knew she would gladly endure it every day if it meant she could keep George from being harmed.

**He looked around.**

**"Hi, Harry – you are Harry, right?"**

**"Yeah, I am," said Harry, moving closer to the sofa.**

**"Well, at least we got you back okay," said George. "Why aren't Ron and Bill huddled round my sickbed?"**

**"They're not back yet, George," said Mrs. Weasley. George's grin faded.**

Fleur's hold on Bill tightened almost imperceptibly.

**Harry glanced at Ginny and motioned to her to accompany him back outside. As they walked through the kitchen she said in a low voice.**

**"Ron and Tonks should be back by now. They didn't have a long journey; Auntie Muriel's not that far from here."**

**Harry said nothing. He had been trying to keep fear at bay ever since reaching the Burrow, but now it enveloped him, seeming to crawl over his skin, throbbing in his chest, clogging his throat. As they walked down the back steps into the dark yard, Ginny took his hand.**

Ginny looked around wearily, expecting her brothers to make some inappropriate comments about that – mostly the twins, though Bill and Charlie were more than up to the task as well – but nobody said anything. From the way they were all looking intently at the book in Dumbledore's hands, she doubted they had even paid any attention to it.

**Kingsley was striding backward and forward, glancing up at the sky every time he turned. Harry was reminded of Uncle Vernon pacing the living room a million years ago. Hagrid, Hermione, and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing upward in silence. None of them looked around when Harry and Ginny joined their silent vigil.**

**The minutes stretched into what might as well have been years. The slightest breath of wind made them all jump and turn toward the whispering bush or tree in the hope that one of the missing Order members might leap unscathed from its leaves –**

**And then a broom materialized directly above them and streaked toward the ground – **

**"It's them!" screamed Hermione.**

''Who?'' shouted half a dozen voices. Was it Ron and Tonks who had finally arrived? Or had Bill and Fleur managed to survive? Perhaps Mad – Eye and Mundungus had gotten through the ordeal safe and sound?

''Would it kill you to be just a tiny bit more precise, Hermione?'' mumbled Lee sourly.

**Tonks landed in a long skid that sent earth and pebbles everywhere.**

Remus felt relief cursing through him.

**"Remus!" Tonks cried as she staggered off the broom into Lupin's arms. His face was set and white: He seemed unable to speak. **

Remus was much in the same state at the moment. Tonks however, had a big, sunny smile on her face as she reached to kiss her husband lightly on the cheek.

**Ron tripped dazedly toward Harry and Hermione.**

**"You're okay," he mumbled, before Hermione flew at him and hugged him tightly.**

Molly looked as if she very much wished she could do the same. And not let go.

**"I thought – I thought –"**

**"'M all right," said Ron, patting her on the back. "'M fine."**

**"Ron was great," said Tonks warmly, relinquishing her hold on Lupin. "Wonderful. Stunned one of the Death Eaters, straight to the head, and when you're aiming at a moving target from a flying broom –"**

''Really? Ickle Ronniekins did that?'' quipped Fred, causing Bill and Charlie to laugh loudly. It stemmed more from the relief that their little brother was alright though, rather than from finding any hilarity in what Fred said.

**"You did?" said Hermione, gazing up at Ron with her arms still around his neck.**

**"Always the tone of surprise," he said a little grumpily, breaking free. "Are we the last back?"**

**"No," said Ginny, "we're still waiting for Bill and Fleur and Mad-Eye and Mundungus. I'm going to tell Mum and Dad you're okay, Ron –"**

**She ran back inside.**

''Well, you really know how to give a warm welcome, don't you Gin?'' said George teasingly.

Ginny rolled her eyes, but his jab didn't erase the grin from her face. _Now if only Bill could return too, everything will be perfect. _

**"So what kept you? What happened?" Lupin sounded almost angry at Tonks.**

Tonks looked at him, but Remus returned her gaze steadily, seeming unapologetic. He found he still wasn't able to form any coherent sentences.

**"Bellatrix," said Tonks. "She wants me quite as much as she wants Harry, Remus, she tried very hard to kill me. I just wish I'd got her, I owe Bellatrix. But we definitely injured Rodolphus . . . . Then we got to Ron's Auntie Muriel's and we missed our Portkey and she was fussing over us –"**

Sirius looked at Tonks, his expression apprehensive.

''Please, don't do anything stupid,'' he told her.

''What do you mean, stupid?''

''With Bellatrix. Don't put yourself in danger because of her. She's not worth it.''

''She's not worth it?'' repeated Tonks, her voice rising with every word that came out of her mouth. ''After what she did? _Sirius,_ _she_ _killed you!_''

''I know, I was there. All I'm saying is let's not give her a chance to kill you too, okay?'' he said, his tone almost pleading.

Tonks looked like she wanted to argue further, but something in his expression made her change her mind.

''Promise me!'' he insisted.

''Okay,'' she said softly as she inclined her head. ''I promise.''

James looked at Sirius out of the corner of his eye. He didn't want to ask him now, not when his friend was clearly upset, yet everytime his death was mentioned, it was like a sudden, icy stab through his heart. _I'll find out what happened. Somehow, I will. I need to know. _

**A muscle was jumping in Lupin's jaw. He nodded, but seemed unable to say anything else.**

**"So what happened to you lot?" Tonks asked, turning to Harry, Hermione, and Kingsley.**

**They recounted the stories of their own journeys, but all the time the continued absence of Bill, Fleur, Mad-Eye, and Mundungus seemed to lie upon them like a frost, its icy bite harder and harder to ignore.**

Charlie scowled. Did they have to mention it in like, every other line? It was as if the book was afraid they'd forget it. _As if, _he thought bitterly.

**"I'm going to have to get back to Downing Street , I should have been there an hour ago," said Kingsley finally, after a last sweeping gaze at the sky. "Let me know when they're back."**

**Lupin nodded. With a wave to the others, Kingsley walked away into the darkness toward the gate. Harry thought he heard the faintest pop as Kingsley Disapparated just beyond the Burrow's boundaries. **

**Mr. And Mrs. Weasley came racing down the back steps, Ginny behind them. Both parents hugged Ron before turning to Lupin and Tonks.**

**"Thank you," said Mrs. Weasley, "for our sons."**

''Oh, come on Molly,'' said Tonks at once.

''You know there's no need to thank us,'' added Remus with a small smile.

''Maybe she doesn't need to, but we do,'' piped up James.

''We would like to thank you, all of you, for what you did for Harry,'' said Lily earnestly, as James nodded along. ''It's obvious that all of you care a lot about him and the fact that you were willing to risk your lives to protect our son is more than we could ever ask for. We are both so grateful. Thank you.''

For a while no one spoke, yet it was clear from their expressions they greatly appreciated what Lily had said.

''We'll always look after Harry,'' said Molly with conviction. Both parents bestowed wide smiles on her as the rest of the people in the room voiced their agreement.

**"Don't be silly, Molly," said Tonks at once.**

Tonks winked at Molly, who smiled lightly in response.

**"How's George?" asked Lupin.**

**"What's wrong with him?" piped up Ron.**

Arthur grimaced.

**"He's lost –"**

**But the end of Mrs. Weasley's sentence was drowned in a general outcry. A thestral had just soared into sight and landed a few feet from them. Bill and Fleur slid from its back, windswept but unhurt.**

''Bill!'' shouted all his siblings at the same time.

''Thank goodness you're both alright,'' said Molly looking at her eldest son and his fiancée. The relief and happiness she experienced knowing her family was safe and sound was overwhelming.

**"Bill! Thank God, thank God –"**

**Mrs. Weasley ran forward, but the hug Bill bestowed upon her was perfunctory. Looking directly at his father, he said, "Mad-Eye's dead."**

''What?'' cried several voices.

Tonks was staring at Dumbledore, her mouth gaping open.

''No way! That can't be true.''

''If it's in the book, it can,'' Mad – Eye told her, not unkindly.

Tonks turned her eyes at her former boss.

''B – but it can't be! You cannot be dead,'' she insisted, her voice becoming a bit shrill.

''Everyone dies sooner or later.''

''Yeah, but not _you! _I don't believe… you're not… you can't…'' her voice trailed off as her shoulders started shaking and tears rolled down her cheeks. Remus attempted to hug her, but she pushed him away.

''Tonks? Listen to me,'' Mad – Eye's tone was unusually gentle. ''It's okay. Everyone dies at some point. That was my time to go. I'm fine with it. And you're going to be fine too. You're going to live and keep getting better and become the best Auror you could possibly be. It's alright, believe me.''

A tremulous smile formed in Tonks' tear – soaked face.

**Nobody spoke, nobody moved. Harry felt as though something inside him was falling, falling through the earth, leaving him forever.**

The ones in the room experienced similar sentiments. Many were still in shock, unable to come to grips with the fact that Alastor Moody had actually died, ceased living. In their mind, Mad – Eye was the ultimate survivor, always there, always efficient, always tough, not afraid to take risks and always, always making it out of every precarious situation alive. To know that this time he wouldn't make it; it felt unreal.

**"We saw it," said Bill; Fleur nodded, tear tracks glittering on her cheeks in the light from the kitchen window. "It happened just after we broke out of the circle: Mad-Eye and Dung were close by us, they were heading north too. Voldemort – he can fly – went straight for them. Dung panicked, I heard him cry out, Mad-Eye tried to stop him, but he Disapparated. Voldemort's curse hit Mad-Eye full in the face, he fell backward off his broom and – there was nothing we could do, nothing, we had half a dozen of them on our own tail –"**

**Bill's voice broke.**

''It's okay,'' Mad – Eye told Bill, who looked very distressed. ''There's nothing you could have done.''

**"Of course you couldn't have done anything," said Lupin.**

**They all stood looking at each other. Harry could not quite comprehend it. Mad-Eye dead; it could not be . . . . Mad-Eye, so tough, so brave, the consummate survivor . . .**

Mad – Eye's lips twitched in a dry smile.

**At last it seemed to dawn on everyone, though nobody said it, that there was no point of waiting in the yard anymore, and in silence they followed Mr. And Mrs. Weasley back into the Burrow, and into the living room, where Fred and George were laughing together.**

**"What's wrong?" said Fred, scanning their faces as they entered, "What's happened? Who's -?"**

**"Mad-Eye," said Mr. Weasley, "Dead."**

**The twins' grins turned to grimaces of shock.**

**Nobody seemed to know what to do. Tonks was crying silently into a handkerchief: She had been close to Mad-Eye, Harry knew, his favorite and his protégée at the Ministry of Magic.**

Mad – Eye winked at Tonks and she managed a shaky laugh in return, though she was still shaken up.

**Hagrid, who had sat down on the floor in the corner where he had most space, was dabbing at his eyes with his tablecloth-sized handkerchief.**

**Bill walked over to the sideboard and pulled out a bottle of fire-whisky and some glasses.**

**"Here," he said, and with a wave of his wand, he sent twelve full glasses soaring through the room to each of them, holding the thirteenth aloft. "Mad-Eye."**

**"Mad-Eye," they all said, and drank.**

''Mad – Eye,'' echoed the people seated around the table. They didn't have any glasses, but that didn't diminish the importance of the gesture.

''I am terribly sorry my friend,'' said Dumbledore in a low voice.

''Thank you, Albus.''

**"Mad-Eye," echoed Hagrid, a little late, with a hiccup. The firewhisky seared Harry's throat. It seemed to burn feeling back into him, dispelling the numbness and sense of unreality firing him with something that was like courage.**

**"So Mundungus disappeared?" said Lupin, who had drained his own glass in one.**

**The atmosphere changed at once. Everybody looked tense, watching Lupin, both wanting him to go on, it seemed to Harry, and slightly afraid of what they might hear.**

Everyone tensed up as they looked wearily at each other.

**"I know what you're thinking," said Bill, "and I wondered that too, on the way back here, because they seemed to be expecting us, didn't they? But Mundungus can't have betrayed us. They didn't know there would be seven Harrys, that confused them the moment we appeared, and in case you've forgotten, it was Mundungus who suggested that little bit of skullduggery. Why wouldn't he have told them the essential point? I think Dung panicked, it's as simple as that. He didn't want to come in the first place, but Mad-Eye made him, and You-Know-Who went straight for them. It was enough to make anyone panic."**

''Well – said,'' Remus told Bill in a approving tone. He thought it highly unlikely that Mundungus was the one who betrayed them.

**"You-Know-Who acted exactly as Mad-Eye expected him to," sniffed Tonks. "Mad-Eye said he'd expect the real Harry to be with the toughest, most skilled Aurors. He chased Mad-Eye first, and when Mundungus gave them away he switched to Kingsley. . . . "**

Molly heaved a sigh. For all her complaints and misgivings about Mundungus, she never actually wanted them to turn out to be true. _Especially not in such a devastating way. _

**"Yes, and zat eez all very good," snapped Fleur, "but still eet does not explain 'ow zey knew we were moving 'Arry tonight, does eet? Somebody must 'ave been careless. ****Somebody let slip ze date to ****an outsider. It is ze only explanation for zem knowing ze date but not ze 'ole plan."**

Fleur had a defiant expression on her face, her gaze traveling from one person to another. Nobody said anything.

**She glared around at them all, tear tracks still etched on her beautiful face, silently daring any of them to contradict her. Nobody did. The only sound to break the silence was that of Hagrid hiccupping from behind his handkerchief. Harry glanced at Hagrid, who had just risked his own life to save Harry's – Hagrid, whom he loved, whom he trusted, who had once been tricked into giving Voldemort crucial information in exchange for a dragon's egg. . . .**

''No!'' Hagrid yelled as everyone turned to face him. ''No! I'd never do that, I'd never betray yeh, never. Yeh can't believe that – ''

''Calm down, Hagrid. I'm certain no one here takes you for a traitor. Neither does Harry,'' said Dumbledore in an attempt to placate the upset half – giant. Many nodded firmly in agreement.

''We know you wouldn't do something like that,'' said McGonagall, her tone resembling Dumbledore's.

**"No," Harry said aloud, and they all looked at him, surprised: The firewhisky seemed to have amplified his voice. "I mean . . . if somebody made a mistake," Harry went on, "and let something slip, I know they didn't mean to do it. It's not their fault," he repeated, again a little louder than he would usually have spoken. ****"We've got to trust each other. I trust all of you, I don't think anyone in this room would ever sell me to Voldemort."**

''That's it,'' said James loudly. ''Trust in your friends; that's the most important thing.''

Some agreed, but there were others who still looked doubtful, unconvinced. Remus regarded James with an odd expression at his face.

_And look where that got him, _though Kingsley as he looked at the two people mentioned. In truth, he felt conflicted. He desperately wanted to be so sure that none of their trusted friends would turn against them, but he try as he might, he couldn't find that confidence.

**"Well said, Harry," said Fred unexpectedly.**

**"Year, 'ear, 'ear," said George, with half a glance at Fred, the corner of whose mouth twitched.**

Fred rolled his eyes.

**Lupin was wearing an odd expression as he looked at Harry. It was close to pitying.**

**"You think I'm a fool?" demanded Harry.**

**"No, I think you're like James," said Lupin, "who would have regarded it as the height of dishonor to mistrust his friends."**

''And I stand by that,'' said James. '' I have always trusted you and I don't recall any complaints. Harry is not wrong to think like that.''

''I'm not saying he is,'' replied Remus, choosing his words carefully. ''But sometimes absolute, blind trust ends up causing more grief than joy.''

There was no need for Remus to become more specific. It was obvious James had understood the meaning behind his friend's words. His eyes flashed with anger, but as he opened his mouth to argue his point, no words came out, which only served to make him even angrier.

Sirius noticed Remus' steely expression as well and decided to intervene.

''This is neither the time nor the place to have this kind of discussion,'' he said calmly, looking at his two best friends, willing them both to calm down and not take this issue any further.

James was still enraged at Remus' insinuation. Deep down he knew his friend was right about that case, but the more he thought about it, the more infuriated he got, not only with Remus for bringing it up, but also with himself for allowing it to happen. However, he could see that Remus had been mollified by Sirius, so he had no choice but to agree as well. Besides that, he really did not want whatever little time he had to be with them again, to be spent fighting.

**Harry knew what Lupin was getting at: that his father had been betrayed by his friend Peter Pettigrew.**

James winced slightly.

**He felt irrationally angry. He wanted to argue, but Lupin had turned away from him, set down his glass upon a side table, and addressed Bill, "There's work to do. I can ask Kingsley whether –"**

**"No," said Bill at once, "I'll do it, I'll come."**

''Do what?'' said Tonks and Fleur together.

**"Where are you going?" said Tonks and Fleur together.**

Bill snorted in amusement. Remus was doing the same until Tonks elbowed him, _accidentally. _

**"Mad-Eye's body," said Lupin. "We need to recover it."**

''No need for that,'' said Mad – Eye bluntly. ''It will be just an empty shell of no use to anyone. It's not worth risking your lives over.'' Judging from the stubborn expressions on the two men's faces though, he could tell his words fell on deaf ears.

**"Can't it - ?" began Mrs. Weasley with an appealing look at Bill.**

**"Wait?" said Bill, "Not unless you'd rather the Death Eaters took it?"**

**Nobody spoke. Lupin and Bill said good bye and left.**

**The rest of them now dropped into chairs, all except for Harry, who remained standing. The suddenness and completeness of death was with them like a presence.**

**"I've got to go too," said Harry.**

''What is he talking about?'' asked Lily in alarm.

**Ten pairs of startled eyes looked at him.**

**"Don't be silly, Harry," said Mrs. Weasley, "What are you talking about?"**

**"I can't stay here."**

''Of course he can, that was the whole point,'' said Frank frowning.

**He rubbed his forehead; it was prickling again, he had not hurt like this for more than a year.**

''What is that supposed to mean?'' asked James. Dumbledore's only reply was that he would explain later, which did nothing to assuage him.

**"You're all in danger while I'm here. I don't want –"**

**"But don't be so silly!" said Mrs. Weasley. "The whole point of tonight was to get you here safely, and thank goodness it worked. And Fleur's agreed to get married here rather than in France , we've arranged everything so that we can all stay together and look after you –"**

**She did not understand; she was making him feel worse, not better.**

Molly found that, for once, she didn't care. Harry could feel as bad as he wanted, so long as he remained in the Burrow with them, where he was safe.

**"If Voldemort finds out I'm here –"**

''How could he find that out?'' asked Bill in disbelief. There was no way they would let Harry leave, after all the trouble that went into getting him there in the first place.

**"But why should he?" asked Mrs. Weasley.**

**"There are a dozen places you might be now, Harry," said Mr. Weasley. "He's got no way of knowing which safe house you're in."**

**"It's not me I'm worried for!" said Harry.**

''Of course not,'' huffed Ginny. But if Harry actually thought they were going to just let him go after that, he didn't know them at all.

**"We know that," said Mr. Weasley quietly, ''but it would make our efforts tonight seem rather pointless if you left."**

**"Yer not goin' anywhere," growled Hagrid. "Blimey, Harry, after all we wen' through ter get you here?"**

**"Yeah, what about my bleeding ear?" said George, hoisting himself up on his cushions.**

**"I know that –"**

**"Mad-Eye wouldn't want –"**

**"I KNOW!" Harry bellowed.**

**He felt beleaguered and blackmailed: Did they think he did not know what they had done for him, didn't they understand that it was for precisely that reason that he wanted to go now, before they had to suffer any more on his behalf?**

''So what?'' said George, who had started to get annoyed. ''He leaves, the Deatheaters catch him, he dies. Is that supposed to ease our suffering?'' he added sarcastically.

Sirius shook his head. He could understand where Harry was coming from. What his godson had failed to take into account though, was the fact that no matter what happened, none of them considered it as suffering. Whatever they did, they did it because they wanted the war to end, their side to prevail and of course because they loved and cared for him. And that was not something to be ashamed of or try to run away from.

**There was a long and awkward silence in which his scar continued to prickle and throb, and which was broken at last by Mrs. Weasley.**

**"Where's Hedwig, Harry?" she said coaxingly. "We can put her up with Pigwidgeon and give her something to eat." **

Molly closed her eyes tightly in distress. That was the worst question she could have asked.

**His insides clenched like a fist. He could not tell her the truth. He drank the last of his firewhisky to avoid answering.**

**"Wait till it gets out yeh did it again, Harry," said Hagrid. "Escaped him, fought him off when he was right on top of yeh!"**

Molly smiled gratefully at Hagrid.

**"It wasn't me," said Harry flatly. "It was my wand. My wand acted of its own accord."**

''That's not po – '' Alice started to say before she remembered what she had heard in the last chapter. From the way it had been described, it did indeed seem like Harry's wand had acted without any command from him. But how could that happen?

**After a few moments, Hermione said gently, "But that's impossible, Harry. You mean that you did magic without meaning to; you reacted instinctively."**

**"No," said Harry. "The bike was falling, I couldn't have told you where Voldemort was, but my wand spun in my hand and found him and shot a spell at him, and it wasn't even a spell I recognized. I've never made gold flames appear before."**

Arthur frowned in contemplation. He had never heard of such an incident before, yet he knew Harry truly believed that's what had happened. Perhaps it was an action borne out of the pressure and adrenaline of the fight, something not unlike the accidental magic that occurred from small children.

**"Often," said Mr. Weasley, "when you're in a pressured situation you can produce magic you never dreamed of. Small children often find, before they're trained –"**

**"It wasn't like that," said Harry through gritted teeth. His scar was burning. He felt angry and frustrated; he hated the idea that they were all imagining him to have power to match Voldemort's.**

_Does he? _wondered Lily. Frankly, such a notion scared her.

**No one said anything. He knew that they did not believe him. Now that he came to think of it, he had never heard of a wand performing magic on its own before.**

**His scar seared with pain, it was all he could do not to moan aloud. Muttering about fresh air, he set down his glass and left the room.**

**As he crossed the yard, the great skeletal thestral looked up – rustled its enormous batlike wings, then resumed its grazing. Harry stopped at the gate into the garden, staring out at its overgrown plants, rubbing his pounding forehead and thinking of Dumbledore.**

**Dumbledore would have believed him, he knew it. Dumbledore would have known how and why Harry's wand had acted independently, because Dumbledore always had the answers; he had known about wands, had explained to Harry the strange connection that existed between his wand and Voldemort's . . . .**

Harry did have a point and that caused every pair of eyes in the room to focus on Dumbledore.

''I'm afraid I cannot answer this question definitively right now. At the moment all I have is a few theories, mostly not connecting to each other. Hopefully the issue will get addressed later on and perhaps we will be offered an adequate explanation.''

In all honesty, Dumbledore was pretty positive he knew why Harry's wand had acted that way. There was no way to be sure though, and he still had a couple of things he needed to clear up a bit. If he explained his theory now, it would only make himself, not to mention everyone else, even more confused than they already were. No, it was better to wait.

**But Dumbledore, like Mad-Eye, like Sirius, like his parents, like his poor owl, all were gone where Harry could never talk to them again. He felt a burning in his throat that had nothing to do with firewhisky. . . .**

Sirius hung his head low in sadness.

Lily felt her eyes burn with tears. She clutched James' hand hard and felt her husband return the gesture with equal fervor.

**And then, out of nowhere, the pain in his scar peaked. As he clutched his forehead and closed his eyes, a voice screamed inside his head.**

''Okay, that's it. What is going on with this bloody scar?'' snapped James.

''The scar was formed when Voldemort tried and failed to kill Harry as an infant. Because of it, Harry and Voldemort are connected in a way; though that is mostly one – sided. Harry has the ability to sense Voldemort's emotions when they are heightened and ofttimes he has visions of his actions.'' Dumbledore replied. ''It is in no way dangerous,'' he hastened to add when he saw James and Lily's expressions, ''only a bit strenuous.''

_**"You told me the problem would be solved by using another's wand!"**_

**And into his mind burst the vision of an emaciated old man lying in rags upon a stone floor, screaming, a horrible drawn-out scream, a scream of unendurable agony. . . .**

Fleur paled. That did not sound good.

**"No! No! I beg you, I beg you. . . ."**

**"You lied to Lord Voldemort, Ollivander!"**

''Ollivander?'' said Charlie, not understanding. _Of course, _he thought the next second, _it's the whole wand deal, who better to ask than Britain's finest wand maker? _He didn't want to think what Ollivander's fate would be after Voldemort was done interrogating him.

**"I did not. . . . I swear I did not. . . ."**

**"You sought to help Potter, to help him escape me!"**

**"I swear I did not. . . . I believed a different wand would work. . . ."**

**"Explain, then, what happened. Lucius's wand is destroyed!"**

**"I cannot understand. . . . The connection . . . exists only . . between your two wands. . . ."**

''**Lies!"**

**"Please . . . I beg you. . . ."**

**And Harry saw the white hand raise its wand and felt Voldemort's surge of vicious anger, saw the frail old main on the floor writhe in agony –**

Most everyone in the room looked greatly disturbed by what they had just heard. Dumbledore stopped reading for a second, to give them a chance to regain their composure.

**"Harry?"**

**It was over as quickly as it had come: Harry stood shaking in the darkness, clutching the gate into the garden, his heart racing, his scar still tingling.**

_Thank God it's over, _thought Ginny. The thought of Harry having to go through such an experience was sickening to her.

**It was several moments before he realized that Ron and Hermione were at his side.**

**"Harry, come back in the house," Hermione whispered, "You aren't still thinking of leaving?"**

''I should think not,'' said Molly sternly.

**"Yeah, you've got to stay, mate," said Ron, thumping Harry on the back.**

**"Are you all right?" Hermione asked, close enough now to look into Harry's face. "You look awful!"**

''That's going to make him feel better,'' said Lee sarcastically.

**"Well," said Harry shakily, "I probably look better than Ollivander. . ."**

**When he had finished telling them what he had seen, Ron looked appalled, but Hermione downright terrified.**

**"But it was supposed to have stopped! Your scar – it wasn't supposed to do this anymore! You mustn't let that connection open up again – Dumbledore wanted you to close your mind!"**

**When he did not reply, she gripped his arm.**

**"Harry, he's taking over the Ministry and the newspapers and half the Wizarding world! Don't let him inside your head too!"**

''Well, isn't that a cheerful thought,'' said Fred, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, so you know the drill. Reviews are love and my inspiration. Last chapter got 15 reviews; Let's see how this one does. (Basically this is my shameless way of asking you once again to **_**please **_**leave a review. ****Each one makes my day a thousand times better! **


	6. The Ghoul In Pajamas

**Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own Harry Potter. As if I could ever hope to be that talented.**

* * *

''So, is everyone ready to continue?'' said Dumbledore with a cheerfulness he did not feel.

''Hold on,'' said James, ''what did Hermione mean, let him inside his head? Can Voldemort actually influence Harry?''

''Like I said-'' Dumbledore began but James cut him off.

''No, you said it's not dangerous, but from what I've heard, you'll excuse me if I have some trouble believing it.''

If Dumbledore was annoyed by James' harsh tone, he did not show it. ''Like I said,'' he repeated, ''the scar and the connection it offers between Harry and Voldemort were created after Voldemort's failed attempt to kill Harry. After he rose to power once more, their bond has become more pronounced, and Harry has been privy to several of Voldemort's actions and emotions. I cannot hide the fact that I was worried about its effect on Harry for some time, yet it is important to note that he has dealt with it admirably and no harm has come to him because of it.''

''Besides there have been some times when that scar has proven to be immensely useful,'' Arthur added, seeing as Dumbledore's explanation had only succeeded in making James more tense. ''If it hadn't been for Harry being able to see Voldemort's snake attacking me, I probably wouldn't be here today,'' he finished and put his arm around Molly, whose face looked decidedly more pale as she recalled the horrific attack on her husband.

''_Some _times_?''_ It seemed that was the only thing that had registered in James' mind out of what Arthur said. ''So this means there have been other times when it's been harmful? Well?'' he demanded when no one replied, but their silence was all the answer he needed. ''I knew it! I knew that blasted thing was dangerous, I knew-''

''Nothing bad happened,'' Sirius all but shouted, interrupting James' tirade. ''Not to Harry.''

''Then to whom?'' asked James, turning to face his friend, but Sirius wouldn't meet his gaze. ''Sirius?''

''It's nothing,'' Sirius mumbled. ''Can we get on with the next chapter already?''

''There'll be no getting on with anything until you tell me what you meant,'' James insisted.

''I didn't mean anything!''

''You said nothing bad has happened to Harry. So that means that it's happened to someone else, right? So, who is it?''

''Look it was a stupid thing to say, ok? Let it go.''

''No!'' It was James' turn to shout. ''Come on, Pads,'' he continued in a lower, pleading voice, ''since when did we start keeping secrets from each other?''

Sirius opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again. He was doing a pretty convincing imitation of a goldfish for a good few minutes before Remus decided to intervene.

''Voldemort planted a false vision in Harry's head and Harry fell for it,'' he said slowly, reluctantly. ''There was a fight and…''

''I died,'' Sirius finished roughly. Once again, he didn't meet neither James' nor Remus' gaze, instead stared straight ahead, as if fascinated by the grey wall at the opposite side of the room.

''Come again?'' said Lily, certain she had heard wrong. James was looking from Sirius to Remus, silently urging them to admit they were kidding.

''So… that's how…'' he was unable to finish the sentence but it didn't matter. Sirius understood what he was trying to say and simply inclined his head, while still avoiding eye contact. ''Oh.''

_Oh? That's your brilliant response? Get it together, Potter! _''Can I read it?'' he asked then, hesitantly. That caused Sirius to finally face him, whipping his head around so fast James was surprised his neck didn't crack.

''What? What d'you mean read it?''

''I want to know what happened,'' James replied, sounding more sure now.

''You just heard what happened. There was a fight and I was killed. The end.''

''No, you don't understand. I want to know _how _it happened-''

''_I _don't understand?'' Sirius voice had lost its flat quality, giving way to his rising anger. ''You think that after I found out you and Lily were dead, I didn't turn it over in my mind, again and again? You think I didn't wonder if Voldemort killed her or you first, if you put up a fight, if you managed to say goodbye, if…'' he broke off, breathing heavily. He could see his words were affecting not only James, but Lily and Remus as well. '' But, in the end, the one thing I wanted most of all, was to somehow forget what I knew, or find a way to make it not true. So yeah, I do understand why you want to read it. But that still doesn't mean you will.''

''You can't tell me what to do!'' James protested indignantly.

''Like hell I can't! It's my bloody death.'' Sirius had gotten up by then, glaring daggers at his best friend. ''You don't realize what you're asking, so just _shut up_.''

James wasn't convinced, but a few whispered words from Lily got him to drop the subject. _For the time being, that is, _Remus thought. He knew his friend and he knew this was far from over. After all, nothing motivated James more than the word _no. _

But Sirius was right, James didn't realize what he was asking. After all, he had never had to live through their deaths, had he? He hadn't experienced the numbness, the disbelief, the excruciating pain afterwards. He hadn't felt the all-consuming loneliness, the unbearable certainty that you were on your own, the last one. Sure, all of them had seen people they knew, people they liked and respected, get killed during Voldemort's reign of terror. Yet this, this was different. This hurt more. The thought of James reading all the details of Sirius' death terrified Remus. _He should never have to know how it feels to watch your best friend being murdered. And I won't be able to bear it again. _

''Now can we start reading again, so at some point _maybe_ we'll finish this book and get out of this damn room?'' Sirius' tone made it more of a command than a question. Even those who didn't know him all that well could see that arguing with him at this stage would be most unwise. Dumbledore flipped through the thick novel, located the correct chapter and his clear voice filled the room once more.

**Chapter 6**

**The Ghoul in Pajamas**

''What kind of title is that?'' said Fred, laughing, hoping for a break from the tense atmosphere.

''I would pay to see the ghoul in our attic wear pajamas,'' George added, grinning as the rest of the Weasleys' expressions ranged from amused to slightly disgusted.

**The shock of losing Mad-Eye hung over the house in the days that followed; Harry kept expecting to see him stumping in through the back door like the other Order members, who passed in and out to relay news.**

No one could find anything to say after that sentence; each of them still trying to deal with Mad-Eye's impending death. Tonks felt tears pricking her eyes and blinked rapidly to clear them, not wanting Moody to notice.

**Harry felt that nothing but action would assuage his feelings of guilt and grief and that he ought to set out on his mission to find and destroy Horcruxes as soon as possible.**

''I'm sorry, he's doing _what?'' _Lily yelled, hoping she had somehow misunderstood.

''Why does Harry have to do that?'' James asked Dumbledore, guessing that out of everyone in this room, his old Headmaster was the one most likely to provide them with answers. He wasn't exactly an expert when it came to Horcruxes, but he knew enough to make him more than a little concerned about his son having to deal with that kind of dark magic.

''Harry knows that the only way to eradicate Voldemort is to destroy his Horcruxes, the very things that tie him to life and immortality.'' Dumbledore replied solemnly.

''But why does it have to be Harry who does it?'' Molly asked desperately. ''There are many other wizards in the Order who can carry out this mission. Wizards older, and more skilled than a barely seventeen-year-old boy!''

''Harry is the only one who can do this,'' Dumbledore insisted, seeming unfazed by the outburst of those around him. ''He is the only one who can kill Voldemort, once and for all.''

''Sorry, but what exactly are these Horcruxes?'' asked Ginny, interrupting whatever Lily was about to say.

After Dumbledore explained the nature and purpose of the Horcruxes, Ginny felt slightly nauseated. It was partly because of what Voldemort had done; even though she thought none of his monstrosities could shock her anymore. But mostly it was because Harry, _her _Harry was determined to go after that man-if he could even be called that. She knew the threat Voldemort posed had to be eliminated, but did it have to be Harry who did it? Why did it always have to be him?

''Albus, there has to be someone else,'' Lily's voice was full of anguish. '' Please, he's just a boy. Hasn't he been through enough?''

Dumbledore felt his heart go out to the young woman, yet he held her gaze and showed no signs of wavering. He too felt apprehensive of what awaited Harry in his perilous journey, but he knew better than to waste time hoping for an alternative solution. Harry had to do it, he was only one who could and Dumbledore had done everything in his power to guide him as much as possible. He was aware of the dangers, knew there were certain things Harry had to figure out on his own if he wished to be successful but he also knew the boy well enough to be certain he would carry out this quest to the end, even if ultimately it would mean his own end as well. He refrained from mentioning that, however. Most of the time, he preferred not to think of it himself. ''I'm sorry,'' he said finally, voice somber, yet firm. ''I understand your misgivings, but there is no other way.''

''No.'' Everyone's eyes turned to Molly Weasley, who had just spoken. ''Albus, you know very well I trust you and your judgment, but not this time. I love that boy as if he was my own son and there is absolutely no way I am letting him go on a bloody _suicide mission.'' _Dumbledore attempted to speak but she cut him off resolutely, ''You won't sway me, so save your breath. Harry isn't going anywhere. Not while he's living under my roof.''

''Thank you,'' James told her earnestly, gratitude written all over his face.

''Tie him to a chair if you must, just don't let him leave,'' Lily added emphatically. The two women nodded at each other in understanding, before Lily turned and threw a pointed look at Dumbledore.

The aged wizard sighed. That was precisely why he had asked Harry not to let anyone else in on what he had to do. Of course, then, he hadn't expected the appearance of a strange book which could somehow reveal everything. Well, now the cat was out of the bag and, not surprisingly, pretty much everyone was mad. He knew they painted him as the bad guy in this situation, they needed someone to direct their anger to and he couldn't blame them, not really. Of course they would be against it, considering the amount of danger such a plan entailed. Of course they'd want to stop it, have someone else do it. And, if he was honest with himself, he agreed with them. He didn't want Harry to be in constant danger of getting killed, he loathed the idea of a seventeen-year-old attempting to kill one of the most powerful wizards of their time. Ηοwever, he was completely aware of the fact that, as he had just said, there was no other way. There was also no way of convincingly explaining it to the people around him, not without revealing the key factor, the very reason Harry was the only individual who could have an actual shot at securing Voldemort's demise. He had a feeling that wouldn't go over too well with this crowd. So, what else could he do, but just stay quiet and brave the accusing finger they pointed at him? He was certain that despite Molly's well-intentioned behavior, Harry would find a way to do what he had to, and, if he knew them, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger would not be far behind. And then what? He could only trust in Harry's abilities and hope for the best, while taking comfort in the thought that he would not be alone.

"**Well, you can't do anything about the" – Ron mouthed the word Horcruxes – "till you're seventeen. You've still got the Trace on you. And we can plan here as well as anywhere, can't we? Or," he dropped his voice to a whisper, "d'you reckon you already know where the You-Know-Whats are?"**

"**No," Harry admitted.**

''He doesn't even know where the damn things are!'' Lily exclaimed, glaring at the book as if that was to blame.

Molly shook her head, becoming more resolved with each passing second to not, under no circumstances, let Harry go on with this exceptionally dangerous and just plain foolish plan. Or Ron and Hermione. They might be adults, but they were still kids. _Her _kids, in one way or another. They were family; and family stayed together.

"**I think Hermione's been doing a bit of research," said Ron. "She said she was saving it for when you got here."**

''How can you do research on that kind of stuff?'' asked George, honestly curious. He found it hard to believe that there could be books giving detailed information about splitting your soul, as if they were instructions for the production of a potion. _What kind of person would use such information?_ He wished he didn't know the answer.

Dumbledore looked up for a second, but apparently he opted to not offer any reply to George's question, instead directing his gaze once again to the book he was holding in his hands.

**They were sitting at the breakfast table; Mr. Weasley and Bill had just left for work. Mrs. Weasley had gone upstairs to wake Hermione and Ginny, while Fleur had drifted off to take a bath.**

_Fascinating piece of news, _Lee thought sarcastically, suppressing his smirk.

"**The Trace'll break on the thirty-first," said Harry. "That means I only need to stay here four days. Then I can –"**

"**Five days," Ron corrected him firmly. "We've got to stay for the wedding. They'll kill us if we miss it."**

**Harry understood "they" to mean Fleur and Mrs. Weasley.**

''Of course zey 'ave to stay,'' Fleur said emphatically.

''Oh, they're staying for much longer than that,'' said Molly, looking around as if waiting for someone to contradict her. No one did.

"**It's one extra day," said Ron, when Harry looked mutinous.**

"**Don't they realize how important –?"**

"'**Course they don't," said Ron. "They haven't got a clue.**

Molly, Lily and James all started talking at the same time, their voices mingling together and becoming incomprehensible after a while, as more people started putting in their two cents about the whole situation. Remus tuned them out after he heard someone – probably Molly, though Minerva was looking equally disturbed; as if she was slowly realizing the implications of that kind of endeavor – shout that Harry, Ron and Hermione were just little kids trying to play the heroes. He understood why they were distressed; he himself was not exactly at ease either. If it was up to him, Harry would stay where he was safe and protected. The other two as well. But, he couldn't get Dumbledore's words out of his mind. _Harry is the best hope we have. Trust him. _Dumbledore had Remus' absolute trust. How could he not? He was the one who gave Remus a chance, when everyone else had written him off. And that chance turned his life upside down. Then Voldemort came along, and his life got turned upside down once more, in the cruelest way imaginable. So, he knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that Voldemort had to be defeated. And, if Dumbledore insisted Harry was the only one who could do it, then Remus had no other choice, but to convince himself it was true. He believed in both Dumbledore and Harry. He had to.

**And now you mention it, I wanted to talk to you about that."**

**Ron glanced toward the door into the hall to check that Mrs. Weasley was not returning yet, then leaned in closer to Harry.**

Molly pursed her lips in annoyance.

"**Mum's been trying to get it out of Hermione and me. What we're off to do. She'll try you next, so brace yourself. Dad and Lupin've both asked as well, but when we said Dumbledore told you not to tell anyone except us, they dropped it. Not Mum, though. She's determined."**

''You have no idea, Ronald,'' said Molly, before turning to glare to glare at her husband.

''Look, it hasn't happened yet, right?'' Arthur offered. Molly didn't avert her gaze, so he went on meekly, ''I mean, you'll yell at me when it happens, so it'd be a bit redundant to do it now too, you know?''

Molly just huffed and turned away without replying.

**Ron's prediction came true within hours. Shortly before lunch, Mrs. Weasley detached Harry from the others by asking him to help identify a lone man's sock that she thought might have come out of his rucksack.**

''Subtle,'' Charlie whispered to Bill who snorted in response, both making sure their mother didn't hear.

**Once she had him cornered in the tiny scullery off the kitchen, she started.**

"**Ron and Hermione seem to think that the three of you are dropping out of Hogwarts," she began in a light, casual tone.**

"**Oh," said Harry. "Well, yeah. We are."**

James had never been what anyone would call a model student as his old professors could very well confirm, nor did he place as much importance on academic knowledge as Lily did. However, right now, he was willing to take everything back. Because, if his son was to continue his studies, then he would be at Hogwarts, safe and sound and not starting out on an impossible, not to mention impossibly dangerous task. The same thought came to his mind once again. _Why does it have to be my son?_

To her surprise, Lily found she did not much mind that her son would abandon his education. She supposed in the light of what he was determined to do instead of completing his final year, everything else seemed insignificant. Honestly, if she could somehow be certain he would not go ahead with his crazy plan, he could never set foot on Hogwarts again and it would be fine with her. Lily was reminded of what Dumbledore had said a while ago, when it was implied that Harry was intending to drop out of school. The aged wizard had insisted Harry had a good reason for his actions, one that would be explained as they went on and so it had. _Well, _she thought dryly, _I wouldn't call this a good reason. _

**The mangle turned of its own accord in a corner, wringing out what looked like one of Mr. Weasley's vests.**

"**May I ask why you are abandoning your education?" said Mrs. Weasley.**

"**Well, Dumbledore left me . . . stuff to do," mumbled Harry.**

''Stuff? Really? Come on Harry, you can do better than that,'' Fred said, shaking his head as if disappointed. ''That's never going to work with Mum.''

"**Ron and Hermione know about it, and they want to come too."**

"**What sort of 'stuff'?"**

"**I'm sorry, I can't –"**

"**Well, frankly, I think Arthur and I have a right to know, and I'm sure Mr. And Mrs. Granger would agree!" said Mrs. Weasley. **

Molly was nodding along, apparently satisfied by the way her book self was acting.

**Harry had been afraid of the "concerned parent" attack. He forced himself to look directly into her eyes, noticing as he did so that they were precisely the same shade of brown as Ginny's. This did not help.**

Ginny did her best to pretend she did not hear the stupid and completely _not funny _comments that sentence elicited from her dear brothers. Fred even had the brilliant idea to start composing a poem about how inspiring her eye color was. He got to the second line before Ginny _accidentally _shoved him and he fell off his chair.

"**Dumbledore didn't want anyone else to know, Mrs. Weasley. I'm sorry. Ron and Hermione don't have to come, it's their choice –"**

"**I don't see that you have to go either!" she snapped, dropping all pretense now. "You're barely of age, any of you! It's utter nonsense, if Dumbledore needed work doing, he had the whole Order at his command! Harry, you must have misunderstood him. Probably he was telling you something he wanted done, and you took it to mean that he wanted you -"**

McGonagall opened her mouth, intending to ask Dumbledore one last time, if perhaps there was such a chance. But, one look at her colleague's determined expression was pretty effective in preventing any words from forming.

"**I didn't misunderstand," said Harry flatly. "It's got to be me."**

**He handed her back the single sock he was supposed to be identifying, which was patterned with golden bulrushes.**

"**And that's not mine. I don't support Puddlemere United."**

"**Oh, of course not," said Mrs. Weasley with a sudden and rather unnerving return to her casual tone. "I should have realized. Well, Harry, while we've still got you here, you won't mind helping with the preparations for Bill and Fleur's wedding, will you? There's still so much to do."**

"**No – I – of course not," said Harry, disconcerted by this sudden change of subject.**

''That's not good,'' Ginny muttered to George who gave his whispered agreement. All the Weasley children knew their mother well enough to be fairly certain she wouldn't just give up that easily; not when she was so worked up about it just seconds before. And, while Ginny did pity Harry – she pitied anyone who became a recipient of Molly Weasley's anger – she wasn't exactly averse to what her mother was doing. She understood where Harry was coming from; at least she tried to, but worrying that her boyfriend (_ex-_boyfriend, she corrected herself sourly) would be in constant danger of getting murdered was far from the way she envisioned to pass the coming months.

"**Sweet of you," she replied, and she smiled as she left the scullery.**

**From that moment on, Mrs. Weasley kept Harry, Ron and Hermione so busy with preparations for the wedding that they hardly had any time to think. The kindest explanation of this behavior would have been that Mrs. Weasley wanted to distract them all from thoughts of Mad-Eye and the terrors of their recent journey. After two days of nonstop cutlery cleaning, of color-matching favors, ribbons, and flowers, of de-gnoming the garden and helping Mrs. Weasley cook vast batches of canapés, however, Harry started to suspect her of a different motive. All the jobs she handed out seemed to keep him, Ron, and Hermione away from one another; he had not had a chance to speak to the two of them alone since the first night, when he had told them about Voldemort torturing Ollivander.**

_Wasn't that a nice experience, _Sirius thought sarcastically, remembering the way the vision from Voldemort had affected Harry.

''Seriously Mum?'' Bill addressed his mother. ''I doubt your little schemes are going to keep them from doing what they've planned. I reckon they're pretty determined.''

Molly merely shrugged. There was a nagging voice in the back of her head, whispering that Bill was right, that no matter what she did, how many ways she thought of to keep them apart, to keep them safe and close, she would only be delaying the inevitable, sooner or later her son and the two others she had come to think of as another son and daughter would leave, would go on with their plan and she would be left behind; unable to help and worried sick. She tried to ignore that incessant voice with all her might.

"**I think Mum thinks that if she can stop the three of you getting together and planning, she'll be able to delay you leaving," Ginny told Harry in an undertone, as they laid the table for dinner on the third night of his stay.**

"**And then what does she think's going to happen?" Harry muttered. "Someone else might kill off Voldemort while she's holding us here making vol-au-vents?"**

Ginny was positive that of all the possible answers to her statement, she wasn't expecting that one.

**He had spoken without thinking, and saw Ginny's face whiten.**

"**So it's true?" she said. "That's what you're trying to do?"**

"**I – not – I was joking," said Harry evasively.**

**They stared at each other, and there was something more than shock in Ginny's expression.**

The redhead shook her head annoyed. _That's a really shitty way of finding out. _Honestly, sometimes she wondered why she had to fall in love with that particular person.

**Suddenly Harry became aware that this was the first time that he had been alone with her since those stolen hours in secluded corners of the Hogwarts grounds. He was sure she was remembering them too.**

_Well, that's one of the reasons why, _she mused as she let her mind wander to those, unfairly few times. Those hours probably ranked somewhere in her top three best experiences in Hogwarts. She was glad to see Harry valued them as well, however right now she was wishing for an interruption, something to prevent more details from being mentioned. She didn't think she could stand the idiotic comments that would ensue.

**Both of them jumped as the door opened, and Mr. Weasley, Kingsley, and Bill walked in.**

**They were often joined by other Order members for dinner now, because the Burrow had replaced number twelve, Grimmauld Place as the headquarters. Mr. Weasley had explained that after the death of Dumbledore, their Secret-Keeper, each of the people to whom Dumbledore had confided Grimmauld Place 's location had become a Secret-Keeper in turn.**

"**And as there are around twenty of us, that greatly dilutes the power of the Fidelius Charm. Twenty times as many opportunities for the Death Eaters to get the secret out of somebody. We can't expect it to hold much longer."**

''No great loss there,'' Sirius mumbled. He knew his childhood house had proven to be really useful to the Order, but he was just unbearably sick of it. There was no reason for them to be in such a gloomy place. The Burrow would serve just as well.

"**But surely Snape will have told the Death Eaters the address by now?" asked Harry.**

"**Well, Mad-Eye set up a couple of curses against Snape in case he turns up there again. We hope they'll be strong enough both to keep him out and to bind his tongue if he tries to talk about the place, but we can't be sure. It would have been insane to keep using the place as headquarters now that its protection has become so shaky."**

''Better safe than sorry,'' Frank commented and Alice agreed. They both had worked with Alastor Moody and knew his competence in spells and curses, yet you could never be too careful. Especially in dark times like these.

**The kitchen was so crowded that evening it was difficult to maneuver knives and forks. Harry found himself crammed beside Ginny; the unsaid things that had just passed between them made him wish they had been separated by a few more people. He was trying so hard to avoid brushing her arm he could barely cut his chicken.**

Ginny's mood went from wistful to irritated after that, as she decided she really did _not _like this chapter. She had been looking forward to listening to Harry thinking about her-okay, so the fact that her family, not to mention Harry's parents would be as able to listen didn't make it the best setting, but still-yet most of the times she was mentioned now, it was just _wrong. _

"**No news about Mad-Eye?" Harry asked Bill.**

"**Nothing," replied Bill.**

There were a few seconds of awkward silence as everyone pretended they weren't looking at Mad-Eye.

**They had not been able to hold a funeral for Moody, because Bill and Lupin had failed to recover his body. It had been difficult to know where he might have fallen, given the darkness and the confusion of the battle.**

''No big deal,'' said Moody matter-of-factly. They should not concern themselves with locating his body. It wouldn't help in any way; only serving in endangering their lives while searching for it.

"**The Daily Prophet hasn't said a word about him dying or about finding the body," Bill went on. "But that doesn't mean much. It's keeping a lot quiet these days."**

''Shocker,'' said Lee as many voiced their similar thoughts.

"**And they still haven't called a hearing about all the underage magic I used escaping the Death Eaters?" Harry called across the table to Mr. Weasley, who shook his head.**

"**Because they know I had no choice or because they don't want me to tell the world Voldemort attacked me?"**

"**The latter, I think. Scrimgeour doesn't want to admit that You-Know-Who is as powerful as he is, nor that Azkaban's seen a mass breakout."**

''Of course, why should people know the truth?'' scoffed Ginny.

"**Yeah, why tell the public the truth?" said Harry, clenching his knife so tightly that the faint scars on the back of his right hand stood out, white against his skin**_**: I must not tell lies.**_

Ginny's lips curved in a smile, feeling stupidly pleased she and Harry had said pretty much the same thing.

''Scars?'' asked James.

''I'll explain later,'' Sirius said before anyone else had a chance to reply. James turned to look at him, gaze never wavering, until he nodded and let the subject drop. Sirius was relieved to see that James still trusted him, despite their fight earlier. He knew he had reacted harshly, he could understand why James wanted to read what had happened, but he couldn't help it. The thought of his best friend sitting there reading about his death was accompanied by a big _no _in his head.

"**Isn't anyone at the Ministry prepared to stand up to him?" asked Ron angrily.**

"**Of course, Ron, but people are terrified," Mr. Weasley replied, "terrified that they will be next to disappear, their children the next to be attacked! There are nasty rumors going around; I for one don't believe the Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts resigned. She hasn't been seen for weeks now.**

Kingsley let out a mirthless laugh at Molly's comment. _Resigned. _

**Meanwhile Scrimgeour remains shut up in his office all day; I just hope he's working on a plan."**

''One can only hope,'' Charlie said sarcastically.

**There was a pause in which Mrs. Weasley magicked the empty plates onto the work surface and served apple tart.**

"**We must decide 'ow you will be disguised, 'Arry," said Fleur, once everyone had pudding. "For ze wedding," she added, when he looked confused. "Of course, none of our guests are Death Eaters, but we cannot guarantee zat zey will not let something slip after zey 'ave 'ad champagne."**

Dumbledore paused for a couple of seconds but ultimately decided to skip the line about Fleur suspecting Hagrid. He was absolutely certain the half-giant had not betrayed their trust and reading it out loud would only cause unnecessary conflict. They really needed to move forward.

"**Yes, good point," said Mrs. Weasley from the top of the table where she sat, spectacles perched on the end of her nose, scanning an immense list of jobs that she had scribbled on a very long piece of parchment. "Now, Ron, have you cleaned out your room yet?"**

" **Why?" exclaimed Ron, slamming his spoon down and glaring at his mother. "Why does my room have to be cleaned out? Harry and I are fine with it the way it is!"**

Molly shook her head exasperated while her children chuckled along with her husband.

"**We are holding your brother's wedding here in a few days' time, young man –"**

"**And are they getting married in my bedroom?" asked Ron furiously. "No! So why in the name of Merlin's saggy left –"**

"**Don't talk to your mother like that," said Mr. Weasley firmly. "And do as you're told."**

''It's not often someone else gets the scolding. It's refreshing,'' Fred commented cheerfully.

''Makes for a nice change,'' his twin agreed.

**Ron scowled at both his parents, then picked up his spoon and attacked the last few mouthfuls of his apple tart.**

"**I can help, some of it's my mess." Harry told Ron, but Mrs. Weasley cut across him.**

"**No, Harry, dear, I'd much rather you helped Arthur much out the chickens, and Hermione, I'd be ever so grateful if you'd change the sheets for Monsieur and Madame Delacour; you know they're arriving at eleven tomorrow morning."**

Lily realized what Molly was trying to do and nodded at the other woman approvingly. Even if it didn't work out in the end, she still appreciated how much Molly cared for her son.

**But as it turned out, there was very little to do for the chickens. "There's no need to, er, mention it to Molly," Mr. Weasley told Harry, blocking his access to the coop, "but, er, Ted Tonks sent me most of what was left of Sirius's bike and, er, I'm hiding – that's to say, keeping – it in here. Fantastic stuff: There's an exhaust gaskin, as I believe it's called, the most magnificent battery, and it'll be a great opportunity to find out how brakes work. I'm going to try and put it all back together again when Molly's not – I mean, when I've got time."**

By the time Dumbledore had finished reading, Molly was glaring daggers at Arthur, who was unsuccessfully trying to become invisible at will.

''Seriously, Arthur?'' she said in a long-suffering tone. ''Don't you ever get tired of that stupid Muggle stuff?''

''I'll have you know they're not stupid…'' Arthur started to say indignantly but another glare from Molly made him change course. ''Er, remember what I said before about how it'd be redundant to yell at me for something that hasn't yet happened?''

Molly's eyes remained narrowed but she said nothing, so Dumbledore took it as his cue to carry on reading.

''Classic Dad,'' Charlie whispered to Bill.

**When they returned to the house, Mrs. Weasley was nowhere to be seen, so Harry slipped upstairs to Ron's attic bedroom.**

''Of course he did,'' Molly grumbled.

"**I'm doing it, I'm doing – ! Oh, it's you," said Ron in relief, as Harry entered the room. Ron lay back down on the bed, which he had evidently just vacated. The room was just as messy as it had been all week; the only chance was that Hermione was now sitting in the far corner, her fluffy ginger cat, Crookshanks, at her feet, sorting books, some of which Harry recognized as his own, into two enormous piles.**

Fred, George and Ginny started cracking up as Molly looked up at the ceiling and asked, ''Why do I even bother?''

"**Hi, Harry," she said, as he sat down on his camp bed.**

"**And how did you manage to get away?"**

"**Oh, Ron's mum forgot that she asked Ginny and me to change the sheets yesterday," said Hermione.**

''It's okay Mum, you're allowed one mistake,'' George said jokingly. Fred was about to follow up with a comment of his own, but the way his mother was pursing her lips made him think more wisely of his actions

**She threw **_**Numerology and Grammatica**_** onto one pile and **_**The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts**_** onto the other.**

"**We were just talking about Mad-Eye," Ron told Harry. "I reckon he might have survived."**

As if on cue, everyone turned to look at Mad-Eye, who looked surprised for a second, before his expression morphed into one of casual indifference.

''Could… could it be true?'' Tonks voice was hesitant, as if she dared not believe it.

''They said I was hit by Avada Kedavra,'' Mad-Eye replied.

''It could have missed!'' Tonks insisted. If there was even a faint possibility of her mentor not being dead after all, she wasn't going to let it go.

''Even if it had missed, Alastor fell from about a thousand feet. He couldn't have survived,'' Remus told her gently, taking her hand in his.

She wrenched it free though, ''So what, now you want him dead?'' she asked, her voice sounding accusing.

''Of course not!'' said Remus, shock and a hint of anger lacing his tone. ''It's an awful fact, but a fact nonetheless. We need to accept it.''

Tonks seemed to deflate a bit then, as if all the energy for arguing had left her. ''It's just… so unbelievable, so…''

''I know, I know,'' Remus said, linking their hands once more, this time with no resistance from Tonks. Their conversation was continued in more hushed tones.

The rest of the people in the room felt increasingly uncomfortable as if they couldn't decide what to do. Should they just brush off the incident, as though it didn't matter? But it did, and they were sad and they had no time to mourn and Mad-Eye was simply sitting there like the whole thing did not concern him in the slightest.

_And we're only six chapters in, _Bill thought. Was this book ever going to end? Yet, at the same time, he dreaded finding out what the last pages contained.

"**But Bill saw him hit by the Killing Curse," said Harry.**

"**Yeah, but Bill was under attack too," said Ron. "How can he be sure what he saw?"**

Bill thought of what Ron was saying. Could it be true? Could he have misinterpreted what had happened? Just like Tonks before, a sliver of hope started taking form inside him before he remembered they had been thousands of feet up in the air. Survival after falling from such a height was impossible.

"**Even if the Killing Curse missed, Mad-Eye still fell about a thousand feet," said Hermione, now weight Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland in her hand.**

_Then again, _mused Bill, _Hagrid fell from the bike and he survived. Why couldn't Mad-Eye survive too? Hagrid is half-giant, _he remembered a second later, _much more resilient. Still though… Perhaps a Shield Charm? _He shook his head. That book was giving him a headache.

"**He could have used a Shield Charm –"**

"**Fleur said his wand was blasted out of his hand," said Harry.**

_Oh._

"**Well, all right, if you want him to be dead," said Ron grumpily, punching his pillow into a more comfortable shape.**

"**Of course we don't want him to be dead!" said Hermione, looking shocked. "It's dreadful that he's dead! But we're being realistic!"**

**For the first time, Harry imagined Mad-Eye's body, broken as Dumbledore's had been, yet with that one eye still whizzing in its socket. He felt a stab of revulsion mixed with a bizarre desire to laugh.**

Remus tried to imagine that and found he understood Harry's reaction. The image was equal parts repulsive and funny. But mostly, it was unbelievable. He wished, not for the first time and certainly not the last, that the contents of this book could somehow be altered.

"**The Death Eaters probably tidied up after themselves, that's why no one's found him," said Ron wisely.**

"**Yeah," said Harry. "Like Barty Crouch, turned into a bone and buried in Hagrid's front garden. They probably transfigured Moody and stuffed him –"**

Tonks let out a sound that was suspiciously like a sob.

"**Don't!" squealed Hermione. Startled, Harry looked over just in time to see her burst into tears over her copy of Spellman's **_**Syllabary **_**.**

"**Oh no," said Harry, struggling to get up from the old camp bed. "Hermione, I wasn't trying to upset –''**

_How did you think she was going to react when you say stuff like that? _Ginny thought. Sometimes Harry and Ron were so tactless.

**But with a great creaking of rusty bedsprings, Ron bounded off the bed and got there first. One arm around Hermione, he fished in his jeans pocket and withdrew a revolting-looking handkerchief that he had used to clean out the oven earlier. Hastily pulling out his wand, he pointed it at the rag and said, "Tergeo."**

''Real classy, Ron,'' said Sirius, eliciting snorts from the Weasley children.

Ginny gave the book a side glance. Looked like Ron was going to prove her wrong. _About time. _

**The wand siphoned off most of the grease. Looking rather pleased with himself, Ron handed the slightly smoking handkerchief to Hermione.**

"**Oh . . . thanks, Ron. . . . I'm sorry. . . ." She blew her nose and hiccupped. "It's just so awful, isn't it? R-right after Dumbledore . . . I j-just n-never imagined Mad-Eye dying, somehow, he seemed so tough!"**

_None of us ever imagined it, _McGonagall thought sadly. She knew that after everything that had happened, that kind of thinking was more than a little naive, but she couldn't help it.

"**Yeah, I know," said Ron, giving her a squeeze. "But you know what he'd say to us if he was here?"**

''Constant vigilance,'' murmured half the people in the room. Mad-Eye looked around with a weird expression on his face; as if he couldn't decide whether to be annoyed or impressed.

"'**C-constant vigilance,'" said Hermione, mopping her eyes.**

''Exactly, Granger,'' Moody said approvingly.

"**That's right," said Ron, nodding. "He'd tell us to learn from what happened to him. And what I've learned is not to trust that cowardly little squit, Mundungus."**

''Yes,'' Molly said emphatically.

**Hermione gave a shaky laugh and leaned forward to pick up two more books. A second later, Ron had snatched his arm back from around her shoulders; she had dropped **_**The Monster of Monsters**_** on his foot. The book had broken free from its restraining belt and snapped viciously at Ron's ankle.**

Hagrid looked sheepish. He knew some of the stuff he liked were not what anyone would call safe or normal – case in point – but he just couldn't resist; they were so interesting.

"**I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Hermione cried as Harry wrenched the book from Ron's leg and retied it shut.**

"**What are you doing with all those books anyway?" Ron asked, limping back to his bed.**

"**Just trying to decide which ones to take with us," said Hermione, "When we're looking for the Horcruxes."**

The majority of the people in the room tensed up once more at the reminder of what three seventeen-year-olds were intent on doing.

"**Oh, of course," said Ron, clapping a hand to his forehead. "I forgot we'll be hunting down Voldemort in a mobile library."**

A few snickers were heard, but most people were too uneasy to find any hilarity in Ron's comment.

"**Ha ha," said Hermione, looking down at Spellman's Syllabary . "I wonder . . . will we need to translate runes? It's possible. . . . I think we'd better take it, to be safe."**

_At least they're trying to be sensible about it, _Sirius thought. Not that that made it okay in any way. But he knew better than to tell Harry not to do something, especially when he was determined. Besides, he was the last person to advise caution instead of action. He knew who he was. Reckless teenager and just as reckless adult. No matter what happened, his behavior wouldn't change. _The thrill of the risk. _He could still remember what he had told Harry one time, how he was not as much like his father as he thought. _'The risk would've been what made it fun for James.' _It was true, they'd have done pretty much anything just for the hell of it; hell _they had. _Yet now he regretted ever letting these words out of his mouth. He wished there was a way to talk to Harry, tell him he didn't mean it; that just because he wasn't willing to risk everything on a second's notice, it didn't make him less worthy than his father, it didn't mean Sirius loved him any less. _It's cruel I got to spend so much time with James, and Lily and so little with Harry. _It was even more cruel now, sitting there, hearing about his godson, listening as he went on with his life every day and being unable to be with him; talk to him or simply look at him, one last time.

**She dropped the syllabary onto the larger of the two piles and picked up **_**Hogwarts, A History**_**.**

"**Listen," said Harry.**

**He had sat up straight. Ron and Hermione looked at him with similar mixtures of resignation and defiance.**

"**I know you said after Dumbledore's funeral that you wanted to come with me," Harry began.**

''And here we go,'' said Ginny rolling her eyes.

''What do you mean?'' James asked her.

''Harry's going to tell them they don't have to come with him; that he can do it by himself.'' She rolled her eyes again, ''As if Ron and Hermione would actually let him go off on his own.''

"**Here he goes," Ron said to Hermione, rolling his eyes.**

Ginny smirked.

"**As we knew he would," she sighed, turning back to the books. "You know, I think I will take **_**Hogwarts, A History**_**. Even if we're not going back there, I don't think I'd feel right if I didn't have it with –"**

''Seriously? She's taking _that _book with? Out of all the possible things?'' Charlie's voice rang with disbelief.

''It's Hermione,'' said Fred, as if that explained it.

''If she could, she'd take the entire Hogwarts library with her,'' George added.

"**Listen!" said Harry again.**

''They won't,'' said McGonagall. If six years of having the three of them as students had taught her anything, it was that wherever one of them went, the other two would never be far behind.

"**No, Harry**_**, you**_** listen," said Hermione. "We're coming with you. That was decided months ago – years, really.''**

"**But –"**

"**Shut up," Ron advised him.**

''Good advice, Ron,'' Fred told the book.

"– **are you sure you've thought this through?" Harry persisted.**

''No, they decided to go on a completely mad and dangerous mission just to pass the time,'' Ginny huffed.

"**Let's see," said Hermione, slamming Travels with Trolls onto the discarded pile with a rather fierce look. "I've been packing for days, so we're ready to leave at a moment's notice, which for your information has included doing some pretty difficult magic, not to mention smuggling Mad-Eye's whole stock of Polyjuice Potion right under Ron's mum's nose.**

Molly looked affronted.

"**I've also modified my parents' memories so that they're convinced they're really called Wendell and Monica Wilkins, and that their life's ambition is to move toAustralia , which they have now done. That's to make it more difficult for Voldemort to track them down and interrogate them about me – or you, because unfortunately, I've told them quite a bit about you.**

"**Assuming I survive our hunt for the Horcruxes, I'll find Mum and Dad and lift the enchantment. If I don't – well, I think I've cast a good enough charm to keep them safe and happy. Wendell and Monica Wilkins don't know that they've got a daughter, you see."**

Everyone was speechless as they processed what Hermione had said and done.

''Oh my…'' muttered McGonagall. As teachers, she and the other professors would often comment on the students, noticing the relationships between them. It was obvious Harry, Ron and Hermione had become close friends over the years, yet it was stuff like that which showcased how strong the friendship that bonded the three of them really was. Μοst of all though, Minerva was proud of Hermione Granger, proud of the strong young woman she had grown up to be.

**Hermione's eyes were swimming with tears again. Ron got back off the bed, put his arm around her once more, and frowned at Harry as though reproaching him for lack of tact. Harry could not think of anything to say, not least because it was highly unusual for Ron to be teaching anyone else tact.**

Lee let out a loud snort at that.

"**I – Hermione, I'm sorry – I didn't –"**

"**Didn't realize that Ron and I know perfectly well what might happen if we come with you? Well, we do. Ron, show Harry what you've done."**

"**Nah, he's just eaten," said Ron.**

''Oh Merlin, what have they done?'' Molly didn't seem to direct her question to anyone in particular, but the apprehension was clear in her voice.

"**Go on, he needs to know!"**

"**Oh, all right. Harry, come here."**

**For the second time Ron withdrew his arm from around Hermione and stumped over to the door.**

"**C'mon."**

"**Why?" Harry asked, following Ron out of the room onto the tiny landing.**

" **Descendo," muttered Ron, pointing his wand at the low ceiling. A hatch opened right over their heads and a ladder slid down to their feet.**

''Why're they going to the attic?'' asked Charlie confused.

**A horrible, half-sucking, half-moaning sound came out of the square hole, along with an unpleasant smell like open drains.**

"**That's your ghoul, isn't it?" asked Harry, who had never actually met the creature that sometimes disrupted the nightly silence.**

"**Yeah, it is," said Ron, climbing the ladder. "Come and have a look at him."**

''Okay, I'm even more confused now,'' said Charlie and several others agreed with him.

**Harry followed Ron up the few short steps into the tiny attic space. His head and shoulders were in the room before he caught sight of the creature curled up a few feet from him, fast asleep in the gloom with its large mouth wide open.**

"**But it . . . it looks . . . do ghouls normally wear pajamas?"**

''Wasn't that the title of the chapter?'' said Lee. ''The ghoul in pajamas or something like that?''

''Yeah, but I still don't get it,'' said Alice.

"**No," said Ron. "Nor have they usually got red hair or that number of pustules."**

''This chapter keeps getting weirder,'' said Lily.

**Harry contemplated the thing, slightly revolted. It was human in shape and size, and was wearing what, now that Harry's eyes became used to the darkness, was clearly an old pair of Ron's pajamas. He was also sure that ghouls were generally ****rather slimy and bald, rather than distinctly hairy and covered in angry purple blisters.**

"**He's me, see?" said Ron.**

"**No," said Harry. "I don't."**

''Neither do we,'' said Fleur.

"**I'll explain it back in my room, the smell's getting to me," said Ron. They climbed back down the ladder, which Ron returned to the ceiling, and rejoined Hermione, who was still sorting books.**

"**Once we've left, the ghoul's going to come and live down here in my room," said Ron.**

''Why would you do that to your poor room?'' said George.

"**I think he's really looking forward to it – well, it's hard to tell, because all he can do is moan and drool – but he nods a lot when you mention it. Anyway, he's going to be me with spattergroit. Good, eh?"**

**Harry merely looked his confusion.**

"**It is!" said Ron, clearly frustrated that Harry had not grasped the brilliance of the plan. "Look, when we three don't turn up at Hogwarts again, everyone's going to think Hermione and I must be with you, right? Which means the Death Eaters will go straight for our families to see if they've got information on where you are."**

''I believe I'm starting to understand Mr. Weasley's train of thought,'' Dumbledore said casually.

''Care to share it with the rest of us?'' asked McGonagall, when Dumbledore didn't elaborate. The bespectacled wizard merely smiled and directed his attention to the thick novel in his hands.

''Infuriating old man,'' McGonagall muttered.

"**But hopefully it'll look like I've gone away with Mum and Dad; a lot of Muggle-borns are talking about going into hiding at the moment," said Hermione.**

"**We can't hide my whole family, it'll look too fishy and they can't all leave their jobs," said Ron. "So we're going to put out the story that I'm seriously ill with spattergroit, which is why I can't go back to school. If anyone comes calling to investigate, Mum or Dad can show them the ghoul in my bed, covered in pustules. Spattergroit's really contagious, so they're not going to want to go near him. It won't matter that he can't say anything, either, because apparently you can't once the fungus has spread to your uvula."**

''I got to hand it to them, they've really thought this through,'' said Kingsley, sounding impressed.

Lily felt torn between being pleased her son and his friends were being cautious and planning ahead and being appalled because of the reason they were doing it.

"**And your mum and dad are in on this plan?" asked Harry.**

"**Dad is. He helped Fred and George transform the ghoul. Mum . . . well, you've seen what she's like. She won't accept we're going till we're gone."**

Molly's eyes were flashing. ''Seriously, Arthur? Now you're helping them? And you two as well!'' She directed her glare to the twins, who tried to look innocent.

_This chapter is really not in my favor. _Arthur straightened up a bit and turned to face his wife. ''Look, I'm no happier than you that my son and his friends have decided to go on this insane mission, but it's obvious they're determined to do it. And they will, whether we like it or not, no matter how many chores you think of to keep them apart and distracted. Even if you lock them up, I guarantee you they'll find a way to get free and leave. So, the way I see it, we have two options. Tell them they aren't allowed to leave and wake up one day to discover they're gone and there's no way of finding them. _Or,_ offer what little help we can offer, make sure they're as prepared as they can be and hope for the best. Personally I'm all for the second option.''

Molly just looked at him, as if she couldn't quite decide what to say. She understood what he was talking about, yes. It made sense and it would definitely be helpful. But the thought of three barely adults, out on their own for who-knew-how-long, facing unimaginable obstacles was just unacceptable to her. She could not accept it. She would not. She opened her mouth to explain it, but much as she tried, no words would come out. Eventually she gave up and just rested her head on Arthur's shoulder, hoping in vain for a way to shut her thoughts up.

**There was silence in the room, broken only by gentle thuds as Hermione continued to throw books onto one pile or the other. Ron sat watching her, and Harry looked from one to the other, unable to say anything. The measure they had taken to protect their families made him realize, more than anything else could have done, that they really were going to come with him and that they knew exactly how dangerous that would be. He wanted to tell them what that meant to him, but he simply could not find words important enough.**

''At least, it's a comfort to know Harry has such loyal and true friends,'' said James and Lily nodded in agreement. She wasn't okay with what her son was planning to do – how could she ever be? – but if he was going to be out there, at the very least she could draw comfort from the fact that he wasn't going to be alone. Ron and Hermione obviously cared a great deal about her son, seeing as they were willing to do anything to ensure they were going with him. Knowing this didn't make the situation any better, but it made it a bit more bearable.

Remus smiled, glad to see that the friendship he had observed among the three teenagers during his short-lived teacher career had only grown stronger and steadier. He knew first-hand how important and valuable true friends were. His lips twitched slightly as he recalled another incident, where, like the scene they had just heard, three boys were willing to risk their lives to help their friend.

* * *

''_You decided to do WHAT?''_

''_No, say it louder Remus, I think a couple of people on the other side of the castle couldn't hear you all that well.''_

_Remus rolled his eyes at James but when he spoke again it was in less ear-splitting tones. ''Please tell me you're kidding.''_

''_We never kid, Remus,'' said Sirius. _

''_Except for when we do.''_

''_That was really deep, James.''_

''_Why, thank you, Sirius. But anyway, we're not actually kidding about this one,'' he told Remus. _

''_But you can't mean it,'' Remus protested. ''Do you have any idea what you'd be getting yourselves into?''_

''_We do as a matter of fact. We've done our research,'' Sirius replied._

''_There's no need to look so surprised, Remus,'' James added. _

''_But… You… I mean…'' Remus seemed to be at a loss for words. ''Are you out of your minds?'' he asked finally._

''_It's been said. But not about this,'' James said firmly._

''_What's Peter got to say about it?'' asked Remus, hoping for an ally. _

''_Ask him,'' Sirius replied. ''I don't think he'll be able to answer, though.''_

''_Why not?''_

_Instead of answering, Sirius indicated with his head the table closest to them, where Peter was currently sleeping on, soft snores escaping his mouth every now and then. _

''… _Should we tell him he's drooling all over his Charms essay?''_

''_You pose an interesting question there, Sirius. On the one hand we could be good friends, wake him up and save his hours of hard work. On the other hand, if he goes on like that, it'll be excellent teasing material for tomorrow. Decisions, decisions.''_

''_You know that if he fails to turn in his essay tomorrow, McGonagall's going to assume we're to blame as well,'' said Remus._

_James and Sirius merely shrugged. ''So she'll give us detention. Hardly worth worrying about,'' James said unperturbed. ''You'd think by now she'd have gotten tired of doing it.''_

''_But James, we haven't been in Minnie's office for quite some time. It will be a wonderful opportunity to revisit it.'' said Sirius with way more excitement than anyone talking about their professor's office should feel. _

''_Ooh and maybe lift some stuff, like we did last time,'' James agreed. _

''_Could you be serious for just one second?'' Remus asked exasperated. _

''_Certainly.'' James removed his glasses, tried unsuccessfully to flatten his messy hair a bit, mimicked the way Sirius was sitting on the couch and assumed a weird expression, which he apparently thought was Sirius-like. _

''_Oh please, as if you could ever manage to be like me,'' said Sirius airily. ''Do you hear something?''_

''_Remus is banging his head on the table.''_

''_Oh… We should stop him. He's going to wake up Peter!''_

_Remus lifted his head from the table and looked at his friends with a long-suffering expression. _

''_Okay, look, all kidding aside, we really want to do this,'' James told him. _

''_Do you understand how important a decision like this is?'' said Remus. ''We're not talking about what to eat for dinner or whether we should buy new cloaks. Becoming animagi is difficult, it's dangerous!''_

''_We know. Contrary to popular belief, we do pay attention to class sometimes and we've heard McGonagall talking about it. Plus, like I said, we've done our research. We know exactly what to do and the risk we're taking.'' Sirius told him confidently. _

''_But why would you decide to do something like that? Isn't it enough that one of us turns into an animal once a month, why… '' he trailed off as realization dawned on him. No. They wouldn't do that. Not for him. Even they wouldn't be so stupid. _Or so good friends_, a voice whispered in his head. ''Would you really do that?'' he asked, amazement warring with disbelief inside him. ''For me?'' _

''_Okay, I don't know what you think you've figured out there, wolf boy, but this is not about you. Can you imagine how cool it would be if we could turn into animals at will?'' said Sirius, but he was grinning widely and James's eyes were full of warmth and understanding._

_Remus found himself at a loss for words. Before he came to Hogwarts he didn't really have any friends, his 'condition' making him believe it was not safe for other people to be around him. When he got to the castle he had resolved to focus on his studies and show Dumbledore he had not been mistaken in accepting him to the school. Making friends had never been a priority for him; or even an option. He figured if he avoided his classmates, they would do the same. But it was all shot to hell when he met those crazy kids who wouldn't take no for an answer, who insisted on dragging him along wherever they were going, who constantly showed up whenever he was attempting to study with a new prank idea he ''just couldn't miss'', who kept trying until he gave in, until he decided to throw caution to the wind and become their friend. And they had made sure he didn't regret it. Even finding out about his 'furry little problem' hadn't fazed them. And now here they were, his friends willing to break the law, risk their lives, all to make sure he wouldn't be alone whenever he turned into a murderous creature, make sure he would be safe. They didn't have to say it. They knew he understood it, just like he knew they understood why he couldn't utter a single word right now. There were no words to describe what he was feeling at that moment. _

''_Just so you know,'' he said some time later, ''if you end up turning into a fly or a seal, don't say I didn't warn you.''_

''_You have a very weird imagination, Remus,'' Sirius said, shaking his head. ''And that's coming from me.''_

* * *

**Through the silence came the muffled sounds of Mrs. Weasley shouting from four floors below.**

"**Ginny's probably left a speck of dust on a poxy napkin ring," said Ron. "I dunno why the Delacours have got to come two days before the wedding."**

"**Fleur's sister's a bridesmaid, she needs to be here for the rehearsal, and she's too young to come on her own," said Hermione, as she pored indecisively over **_**Break with a Banshee**_**.**

"**Well, guests aren't going to help Mum's stress levels," said Ron.**

''Thank you for the concern, Ron,'' Molly said sarcastically. Truth be told, she hadn't really devoted any thoughts to the upcoming wedding, with everything else that was going on. However, now that she started thinking about it, she could feel her panic rising. They had to plan a wedding from start to finish, make sure everything went according to plan and their cover would not be blown, they had to accommodate three people they had never met before, they –

''Stop it,'' said Arthur without looking away from the book in Dumbledore's hands.

''Huh?''

''I can feel you freaking out. Stop it. We can do it. We'll get through this, just like we've done with everything else and in the end everyone'll be talking about the best wedding they've ever been to.''

Molly smiled and clutched her husband's hand gratefully.

"**What we really need to decide," said Hermione, tossing **_**Defensive Magical Theory**_** into the bin without a second glance and picking up **_**An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe**_** , "is where we're going after we leave here. I know you said you wanted to go to Godric's Hollow first, Harry, and I understand why, but . . . well . . . shouldn't we make the Horcruxes our priority?"**

''Godric's Hollow?'' Sirius said slowly. He hadn't been there since it all had happened and he had no wish to revisit it, even via some book.

''Why does he want to go there? Does it have anything to do with the Horcruxes?'' Lily asked Dumbledore. She didn't know what she wanted more; For her son to visit the place where he had spent the first year of his life at, or for him to never set foot there again. She could still remember how their house looked, their little garden, Harry's brightly-colored nursery. But who knew what the state they were in now was. Was their house even still standing? Or had someone demolished it even further, built something else in its place as if the Potter household had never been there?

''I don't believe Godric's Hollow is in any way associated with the Horcruxes,'' Dumbledore replied. _It is associated with something else, something I hope Harry never finds out. _

"**If we knew where any of the Horcruxes were, I'd agree with you," said Harry, who did not believe that Hermione really understood his desire to return to Godric's Hollow. His parents' graves were only part of the attraction: He had a strong, though inexplicable, feeling that the place held answers for him. Perhaps it was simply because it was there that he had survived Voldemort's Killing Curse; now that he was facing the challenge of repeating the feat, Harry was drawn to the place where it had happened, wanting to understand.**

''I suppose I can understand that,'' said James. He wasn't going to admit it; he couldn't even explain it, but he found himself feeling a weird curiosity to see how his son would react if he went back to the place he was born. And Harry could be right too, perhaps Godric's Hollow had some answers, something that could aid him in his impossible task. How could he not want that?

"**Don't you think there's a possibility that Voldemort's keeping a watch on Godric's Hollow?" Hermione asked. "He might expect you to go back and visit your parents' graves once you're free to go wherever you like?"**

''That's a very real possibility, if you think about it,'' said Kingsley, frowning. If Voldemort had indeed set up a trap at Godric's Hollow, Harry and the others could end up right in the middle of it. He looked at the book in slight alarm. Those three needed to play this smart or not at all.

**This had not occurred to Harry. While he struggled to find a counterargument, Ron spoke up, evidently following his own train of thought.**

"**This R.A.B. person," he said. "You know, the one who stole the real locket?"**

People looked at each other confused, but Dumbledore kept reading in lieu of any explanations, trying to ignore the clenching in his gut as the mention of the locket brought all the memories of that fateful night back.

"**He said in his note he was going to destroy it, didn't he?"**

**Harry dragged his rucksack toward him and pulled out the fake Horcrux in which R.A.B.'s note was still folded.**

"'_**I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can**_**.'" Harry read out.**

''Good! That's good,'' Lily exclaimed, sitting straighter in her chair.

"**Well, what if he **_**did**_** finish it off?" said Ron.**

''He could have!'' said Molly, starting to get hopeful. There, couldn't that R.A.B take care of the other Horcruxes as well?

''Hold on one second, who is this R.A.B person?'' asked Sirius. He could only think of one person whose initials fit, but it couldn't be… Regulus was working for Voldemort, he wouldn't try to kill him. _But he changed his mind, he tried to get out. _Perhaps it was then he decided to get revenge on Voldemort, tried to kill him somehow? He shook his head dismissively. _No, that can't be it. _

''We'll probably find out as the book goes on,'' said Kingsley, seeing as no one seemed to know who R.A.B was. He couldn't help but feel better though, thinking there was someone else out there who was trying to destroy Horcruxes. Perhaps the attempt to eradicate Voldemort wasn't so hopeless after all.

"**Or she." Interposed Hermione.**

"**Whichever," said Ron. "it'd be one less for us to do!"**

_Well, if it's a girl, it's definitely not Regulus, _Sirius thought with a slight smile.

"**Yes, but we're still going to have to try and trace the real locket, aren't we?" said Hermione, "to find out whether or not it's destroyed."**

_Please, let it be destroyed, _Ginny thought vehemently, _and let whoever this person is destroy the other Horcruxes as well, cause then the three idiots will be safe. I need them to be safe. _

"**And once we get hold of it, how **_**do**_** you destroy a Horcrux?" asked Ron.**

''That's a good question,'' Charlie commented. _How_ do you destroy a piece of one's soul?

"**Well," said Hermione, "I've been researching that."**

"**How?" asked Harry. "I didn't think there were any books on Horcruxes in the library?"**

"**There weren't," said Hermione, who had turned pink. "Dumbledore removed them all, but he – he didn't destroy them." Ron sat up straight, wide-eyed.**

Everyone's gaze turned to Dumbledore.

"**How in the name of Merlin's pants have you managed to get your hands on those Horcrux books?"**

"**It – it wasn't stealing!" said Hermione, looking from Harry to Ron with a kind of desperation. "They were still library books, even if Dumbledore had taken them off the shelves. Anyway, if he really didn't want anyone to get at them, I'm sure he would have made it much harder to –"**

"**Get to the point!" said Ron.**

"**Well . . . it was easy," said Hermione in a small voice. "I just did a Summoning Charm. You know – Accio. And – they zoomed out of Dumbledore's study window right into the girls' dormitory."**

''Albus!'' McGonagall's voice was reprimanding. ''You can't just leave books like that laying around. What if someone else had found them?''

''But no one else did,'' Albus replied, not seeming affected by his colleague's tone and McGonagall heaved a sigh.

"**But when did you do this?" Harry asked, regarding Hermione with a mixture of admiration and incredulity.**

"**Just after his – Dumbledore's – funeral," said Hermione in an even smaller voice. "Right after we agreed we'd leave school and go and look for the Horcruxes. When I went back upstairs to get my things it – it just occurred to me that the more we knew about them, the better it would be . . . and I was alone in there . . . so I tried . . . and it worked. They flew straight in through the open window and I – I packed them."**

''Well,'' said Dumbledore, his lips curving upwards, ''there's one thing that can be said for Miss Grager; she is clearly a competent witch.''

**She swallowed and then said imploringly, "I can't believe Dumbledore would have been angry, it's not as though we're going to use the information to make a Horcrux, is it?"**

Dumbledore's smile became wider. Indeed, he was not angry. Hermione Granger had acted precisely as he had expected her to act.

"**Can you hear us complaining?" said Ron. "Where are these books anyway?"**

**Hermione rummaged for a moment and then extracted from the pile a large volume, bound in faded black leather. She looked a little nauseated and held it as gingerly as if it were something recently dead.**

_Well, that's disgusting, _Alice thought and she felt a strange urge to laugh.

"**This is the one that gives explicit instructions on how to make a Horcrux. Secrets of the Darkest Art – it's a horrible book, really awful, full of evil magic. I wonder when Dumbledore removed it from the library. . . . if he didn't do it until he was headmaster, I bet Voldemort got all the instruction he needed from here."**

Dumbledore nodded to himself as he read that. He knew to which book Hermione was referring and he was of the same opinion. _Not that it would have made a difference if I had removed it earlier. _Tom would have found information about the creation of Horcruxes via any means possible.

"**Why did he have to ask Slughorn how to make a Horcrux, then, if he'd already read that?" asked Ron.**

''Slughorn told Voldemort how to make Horcruxes?'' Ginny asked incredulously. Sure he could be pushy and annoying sometimes, and she really didn't like his 'Slug Club' – even if she was a part of it – but she had difficulty accepting that her fat, perhaps overly enthusiastic professor had assisted the greatest dark wizard of their time.

''It was hardly Horace's fault,'' said Dumbledore. ''Tom Riddle was a charming boy at school, everyone's favorite student. It was easy for him to play on the affections of a professor for his special students and find out what he wanted without Horace suspecting anything.''

"**He only approached Slughorn to find out what would happen if you split your soul into seven," said Harry. "Dumbledore was sure Riddle already knew how to make a Horcrux by the time he asked Slughorn about them. I think you're right, Hermione, that could easily have been where he got the information."**

_He's a teacher though, _Ginny thought, _he's not supposed to be able to be manipulated by students or tell them information about dark magic. _To her eyes, Slughorn had now lost whatever respect she felt for him.

"**And the more I've read about them," said Hermione, "the more horrible they seem, and the less I can believe that he actually made six. It warns in this book how unstable you make the rest of your soul by ripping it, and that's just by making one Horcrux!"**

**Harry remembered what Dumbledore had said about Voldemort moving beyond "usual evil."**

Lily shivered slightly as she contemplated that. And her son was expected to fight against that… that madman!

"**Isn't there any way of putting yourself back together?" Ron asked.**

"**Yes," said Hermione with a hollow smile, "but it would be excruciatingly painful."**

"**Why? How do you do it?" asked Harry.**

"**Remorse," said Hermione. "You've got to really feel what you've done. There's a footnote. Apparently the pain of it can destroy you. I can't see Voldemort attempting it somehow, can you?"**

The scoffs that were heard around the room made it clear what everyone was thinking about something like that happening.

"**No," said Ron, before Harry could answer. "So does it say how to destroy Horcruxes in that book?"**

"**Yes," said Hermione, now turning the fragile pages as if examining rotting entrails, "because it warns Dark wizards how strong they have to make the enchantments on them. From all that I've read, what Harry did to Riddle's diary was one of the few really foolproof ways of destroying a Horcrux."**

"**What, stabbing it with a basilisk fang?" asked Harry.**

James opened his mouth to ask what the deal with the diary and the fang was, but then closed it again. Something told him he was better off not knowing; at least for now.

"**Oh well, lucky we've got such a large supply of basilisk fangs, then," said Ron. "I was wondering what we were going to do with them."**

''Such humor, Ron,'' Ginny said dryly. She did her best to focus on the story and not on the disturbing memories the mention of the diary and the basilisk had awoken in her mind.

"**It doesn't have to be a basilisk fang," said Hermione patiently. "It has to be something so destructive that the Horcrux can't repair itself. Basilisk venom only has one antidote, and it's incredibly rare –"**

"– **phoenix tears," said Harry, nodding.**

"**Exactly," said Hermione. "Our problem is that there are very few substances as destructive as basilisk venom, and they're all dangerous to carry around with you. That's a problem we're going to have to solve, though, because ripping, smashing, or crushing a Horcrux won't do the trick. You've got to put it beyond magical repair."**

''As if they didn't have enough problems,'' said Tonks. Honestly, how did they hope to accomplish such a task?

"**But even if we wreck the thing it lives in," said Ron, "why can't the bit of soul in it just go and live in something else?"**

Hagrid had been wondering the same thing.

"**Because a Horcrux is the complete opposite of a human being."**

**Seeing that Harry and Ron looked thoroughly confused,**

''They're not the only ones,'' said George.

**Hermione hurried on. "Look, if I picked up a sword right now, Ron, and ran you through with it, I wouldn't damage your soul at all."**

''So comforting,'' said Fred.

"**Which would be a real comfort to me, I'm sure," said Ron. Harry laughed.**

Many people in the room laughed as well.

"**It should be, actually! But my point is that whatever happens to your body, your soul will survive, untouched," said Hermione. "But it's the other way round with a Horcrux. The fragment of soul inside it depends on its container, its enchanted body, for survival. It can't exist without it."**

''This whole Horcrux business is seriously complicated,'' Bill said, shaking his head.

"**That diary sort of died when I stabbed it," said Harry, remembering ink pouring like blood from the punctured pages, and the screams of the piece of Voldemort's soul as it vanished.**

"**And once the diary was properly destroyed, the bit of soul trapped in it could no longer exist. Ginny tried to get rid of the diary before you did, flushing it away, but obviously it came back good as new."**

Ginny looked pale as Molly used on hand to embrace her daughter. _Do they really have to keep talking about the freaking diary? _She had lived through it, she didn't need a recap of the events.

"**Hang on," said Ron, frowning. "The bit of soul in that diary was possessing Ginny, wasn't it? ****How does that work, then?"**

Ginny groaned loudly. _Seriously?_

"**While the magical container is still intact, the bit of soul inside it can flit in and out of someone if they get too close to the object. I don't mean holding it for too long, it's nothing to do with touching it," she added before Ron could speak. "I mean close emotionally. Ginny poured her heart out into that diary, she made herself incredibly vulnerable. You're in trouble if you get too fond of or dependent on the Horcrux."**

_At least they'll be smarter than stupid little Ginny, _the redhead thought bitingly.

"**I wonder how Dumbledore destroyed the ring?" said Harry. "Why didn't I ask him? ****I never really . . ."**

**His voice trailed away: He was thinking of all the things he should have asked Dumbledore, and of how, since the headmaster had died, it seemed to Harry that he had wasted so many opportunities when Dumbledore had been alive, to find out more . . . to find out everything. . . .**

Dumbledore shook his head. It was better Harry didn't know. Besides, the things he and Harry had discussed were much more important than anything concerning himself; particularly certain details.

**The silence was shattered as the bedroom door flew open with a wall-shaking crash. Hermione shrieked and dropped Secrets of the Darkest Art ; Crookshanks streaked under the bed, hissing indignantly; Ron jumped off the bed, skidded on a discarded Chocolate Frog wrapper, and smacked his head on the opposite wall; and Harry instinctively dived for his wand before realizing that he was looking up at Mrs. Weasley, whose hair was disheveled and whose face was contorted with rage.**

''Blimey Mum, you sure do know how to make an entrance,'' said Charlie. ''I would've liked to have seen that,'' he added chuckling.

Molly just shrugged. She definitely wasn't going to be happy with their little meeting.

"**I'm so sorry to break up this cozy little gathering," she said, her voice trembling. "I'm sure you all need your rest . . . but there are wedding presents stacked in my room that need sorting out and I was under the impression that you had agreed to help."**

"**Oh yes," said Hermione, looking terrified as she leapt to her feet, sending books flying in every direction. "we will . . . we're sorry . . ."**

''Poor kids,'' Fred said with compassion.

**With an anguished look at Harry and Ron, Hermione hurried out of the room after Mrs. Weasley.**

"**it's like being a house-elf," complained Ron in an undertone, still massaging his head as he and Harry followed. "Except without the job satisfaction. The sooner this wedding's over, the happier I'll be."**

"**Yeah," said Harry, "then we'll have nothing to do except find Horcruxes. . . . It'll be like a holiday,****won't it?"**

**Ron started to laugh, but at the sight of the enormous pile of wedding presents waiting for them in Mrs. Weasley's room, stopped quite abruptly.**

Snorts erupted all around the room. Fleur looked particularly pleased with the amount of wedding presents.

**The Delacours arrived the following morning at eleven o' clock. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were feeling quite resentful toward Fleur's family by this time;**

''But why?'' said Fleur, feeling slightly offended.

''It's just because Mum's making them do chores in preparation. It's nothing to do with you or your family, love,'' Bill told her.

**and it was with ill grace that Ron stumped back upstairs to put on matching socks, and Harry attempted to flatten his hair. Once they had all been deemed smart enough, they trooped out into the sunny backyard to await the visitors.**

**Harry had never seen the place looking so tidy. The rusty cauldrons and old Wellington boots that usually littered the steps by the back door were gone, replaced by two new Flutterby bushes standing either side of the door in large pots; though there was no breeze, the leaves waved lazily, giving an attractive rippling effect. The chickens had been shut away, the yard had been swept, and the nearby garden had been pruned, plucked, and generally spruced up, although Harry, who liked it in its overgrown state, thought that it looked rather forlorn without its usual contingent of capering gnomes.**

''Harry must be the only one who likes the gnomes,'' said Ginny.

''Come on, they're fun,'' said Fred. ''… In an annoying, biting sort of way,'' he added as his sister just stared at him.

**He had lost track of how many security enchantments had been placed upon the Burrow by both the Order and the Ministry; all he knew was that it was no longer possible for anybody to travel by magic directly into the place. Mr. Weasley had therefore gone to meet the Delacours on top of a nearby hill, where they were to arrive by Portkey. The first sound of their approach was an unusually high-pitched laugh, which turned out to be coming from Mr. Weasley, who appeared at the gate moments later, laden with luggage and leading a beautiful blonde woman in long, leaf green robes, who could be Fleur's mother.**

Fleur's lips stretched into a wide grin. She had missed her family and it would be nice to hear about them again, even if it was only through a book about the future that someone else was reading. And just how weird was that sentence?

"**Maman!" cried Fleur, rushing forward to embrace her. "Papa!"**

**Monsieur Delacour was nowhere near as attractive as his wife; he was a head shorter and extremely plumb, with a little, pointed black beard. However, he looked good-natured. Bouncing towards Mrs. Weasley on high-heeled boots, he kissed her twice on each cheek, leaving her flustered.**

Her children sniggered as Molly blushed.

"**You 'ave been so much trouble," he said in a deep voice. "Fleur tells us you 'ave been working very 'ard."**

"**Oh, it's been nothing, nothing!" trilled Mrs. Weasley. ****"No trouble at all!"**

Arthur looked strangely at his wife, who refused to meet his gaze; her cheeks still tinted red.

**Ron relieved his feelings by aiming a kick at a gnome who was peering out from behind one of the new Flutterby bushes.**

"**Dear lady!" said Monsieur Delacour, still holding Mrs. Weasley's hand between his own two plump ones and beaming. "We are most honored at the approaching union of our two families! Let me present****my wife, Apolline."**

**Madame Delacour glided forward and stooped to kiss Mrs. Weasley too.**

" **Enchantée," she said. "Your 'usband 'as been telling us such amusing stories!"**

**Mr. Weasley gave a maniacal laugh; Mrs. Weasley threw him a look, upon which he became immediately silent and assumed an expression appropriate to the sickbed of a close friend.**

By that time the Weasley children, along with many others, were howling with laughter; Molly was glaring at Arthur and they were both blushing.

"**And, of course, you 'ave met my leetle daughter, Gabrielle!" said Monsieur Delacour. Gabrielle was Fleur in miniature; eleven years old, with waist-length hair of pure, silvery blonde, she gave Mrs. Weasley a dazzling smile and hugged her, then threw Harry a glowing look, batting her eyelashes. Ginny cleared her throat loudly.**

Ginny threw a side glance at the book. Apparently it just wasn't meant for her to get along with the Delacour family.

"**Well, come in, do!" said Mrs. Weasley brightly, and she ushered the Delacours into the house, with many "No, please!"s and "After you!"s and "Not at all!"s.**

Fleur and Bill smiled at each other. At least it seemed their families were going to get along. That had been one of their major fears.

**The Delacours, it soon transpired, were helpful, pleasant guests. They were pleased with everything and keen to assist with the preparations for the wedding. Monsieur Delacour pronounced everything from the seating plan to the bridesmaids' shoes " Charmant!" Madame Delacour was most accomplished at household spells and had the oven properly cleaned in a trice; Gabrielle followed her elder sister around, trying to assist in any way she could and jabbering away in rapid French.**

_As long as she doesn't trail after Harry, _Ginny thought.

**On the downside, the Burrow was not built to accommodate so many people. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were now sleeping in the sitting room, having shouted down Monsieur and Madame Delacour's protests and insisted they take their bedroom. Gabrielle was sleeping with Fleur in Percy's old room, and Bill would be sharing with Charlie, his best man, once Charlie arrived from Romania.**

''Good thing we'll be comfortable,'' Charlie whispered to Bill, who snorted.

**Opportunities to make plans together became virtually nonexistent, **

_Good, _Molly thought with satisfaction.

**and it was in desperation that Harry, Ron and Hermione took to volunteering to feed the chickens just to escape the overcrowded house. **

"**But she still won't leave us alone!" snarled Ron, and their second attempt at a meeting in the yard was foiled by the appearance of Mrs. Weasley carrying a large basket of laundry in her arms.**

''No,'' Molly said in a decisive tone. _Not on my watch. _

"**Oh, good, you've fed the chickens," she called as she approached them. "We'd better shut them away again before the men arrive tomorrow . . . to put up the tent for the wedding," she explained, pausing to lean against the henhouse. She looked exhausted. **

Arthur draped a hand around her shoulders in a comforting manner.

"**Millamant's Magic Marquees . . . they're very good. Bill's escorting them. . . . You'd better stay inside while they're here, Harry. I must say it does complicate organizing a wedding, having all these security spells around the place."**

"**I'm sorry," said Harry humbly.**

''Oh, don't be silly Harry, I didn't mean it like that,'' Molly said at once.

"**Oh, don't be silly, dear!" said Mrs. Weasley at once. "I didn't mean – well, your safety's much more important! Actually, I've been wanting to ask you how you want to celebrate your birthday, Harry. Seventeen, after all, it's an important day. . . ."**

James' head snapped up suddenly. Of course, Harry's birthday, how could he have forgotten! He exchanged a look with Lily. _Seventeen. Sixteen missing years. _At least he'd hear about it from the book, since he couldn't be there in person.

"**I don't want a fuss," said Harry quickly, envisaging the additional strain this would put on them all. "Really, Mrs. Weasley, just a normal dinner would be fine. . . . It's the day before the wedding. . . ."**

Lily sighed. If only she could have been there, she would have thrown Harry the biggest birthday party he could imagine, so that they could properly celebrate that very important date. _My baby boy becoming an adult._

"**Oh, well, if you're sure, dear. I'll invite Remus and Tonks, shall I? ****And how about Hagrid?"**

The people mentioned grinned happily at Molly.

"**That'd be great," said Harry. "But please, don't go to loads of trouble."**

"**Not at all, not at all . . . It's no trouble. . . ."**

**She looked at him, a long, searching look, then smiled a little sadly, straightened up, and walked away. Harry watched as she waved her wand near the washing line, and the damp clothes rose into the air to hang themselves up, and suddenly he felt a great wave of remorse for the inconvenience and the pain he was giving her.**

_My dear boy, _Molly thought sadly. She wasn't doing anything she wouldn't have done for one of her own children. _If only there was a way to tell him this and make him believe it._

* * *

**A/N: So, I suck. I'm really, really sorry for leaving you without a chapter for so long! But, the thing is, I was seriously busy. For a whole month (June) I was studying practically non-stop for exams. I was also away on vacation with friends for several days. And, the most important reason is the fact that my grandfather, who I was really close to, passed away and I just haven't been in the best mood to write. Honestly though, I'm very sorry to have kept you guys waiting. I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations after such a long wait. Also, I hope you guys enjoyed that little Marauder scene I included. The idea just came to me and I seeing as I love everything concerning the Marauder era, I couldn't not write it! I'll try my best to **_**not **_**have the next update be in two months :P**

**One more thing; As you saw, I had the characters mention Sirius' death. I left the possibility of reading about that scene vague on purpose, since I want to know what you think about it. Do you like the idea of James and the others getting to read about Sirius' death or not? And if you do, do you think everyone should hear about it, or just the Marauders and Lily, since they're the ones it concerns the most? Leave me a review and let me know, I really want to see your opinions! (Or if you don't have an opinion about it, leave a review anyway? Pretty please? Hearing from you makes me all warm and fuzzy inside ;) )**


	7. The Will of Albus Dumbledore

**Disclaimer:**

** Roses are Red **

** Violets are Blue**

** I don't own Harry Potter**

… **And that's it, really.**

* * *

''Would anyone else like to read?'' asked Dumbledore, trying not to sound too hopeful. Truth be told, he was getting rather weary of being the one to give voice to all the less-than-pleasant happenings described in this book. _And what a particularly weird book it is, _he mused. How could a person possess such in-depth knowledge, not only of events that would occur in the future, but also of Harry's inner thoughts and feelings? It was… well, like magic, for lack of a better word. Not for the first time since all of them were gathered in this room, he wondered if perhaps they had made a mistake by deciding to read this book. Considering it was obviously told from Harry's point of view, didn't it qualify as an invasion of his privacy? He was absolutely certain that if the boy – _well, young man really, _he thought with a slight smile – was there, he would not have allowed it to happen. However, there was a reason he was not and the rest of them were; they needed to find out the outcome of this terrible war, and if it wasn't in their favor, then maybe, through reading this book, learning every little detail, they'd be able to change the future, make it better. Or was this just wishful thinking? After all, he knew perfectly well the world was anything but fair; who would guarantee a happy ending for them, even if they had read every page? He let out a sigh. Odds were, their story was not going to end with _and they lived happily ever after. _

Still, he knew that everyone in this room genuinely cared about Harry, and that was what eased his conscience about probably having invaded Harry's privacy. At least that way James and Lily had the chance to know more about their son, listen as he went on with his life and interacted with others, even hear his thoughts. It was something that would never have happened otherwise. That went for Sirius as well. Even though he and Harry had known each other for a short amount of time, one would have to be blind to not notice the sheer love and affection that shone in Sirius's eyes whenever he looked at or talked about his godson. Dumbledore also knew Harry had come to think of his godfather as someone between a brother and a father; he was an adult, an authority figure that was much needed in Harry's life, but he was also a friend in many ways, someone he could confide to without feeling ashamed. It really was a shame how their relationship had had such an untimely, not to mention utterly brutal, end.

His gaze traveled to Frank and Alice Longbottom. Without doubt, two of the most talented Aurors and best people he had ever met. Calling what had happened to them unfair was the understatement of the century. He was certain they were hoping for their son to make an appearance in these books. And didn't they deserve to hear about Neville just as much as James, Lily and Sirius deserved to hear about Harry? Dumbledore could only hope their wish would be granted as they carried on reading. At least that way, something good could come out of this whole thing for a change.

He was roused from his thoughts by the sound of Arthur Weasley clearing his throat and offering to read. He didn't seem all that willing, Dumbledore thought as the novel was passed from him to Arthur, but then, who could blame him? Who knew what the next pages were going to reveal.

Arthur opened the book, located the correct page, looked at the title of the chapter and his eyes promptly found those of his old Headmaster.

''Is something wrong, Arthur?'' Dumbledore asked when the other man continued to look at him without talking.

''Er, no,'' said Arthur, jerking his head as if suddenly realizing where he was. ''It's just, this chapter is called _The Will of Albus Dumbledore._''

There were several exclamations of surprise as people looked from the book to Dumbledore with interest.

''And why should that be a cause for alarm? I thought it was a common occurrence for people to leave a will after they have passed away,'' said Dumbledore, amusement clear in his eyes.

''Well, I for one am very curious to see the content of this will of yours,'' McGonagall commented.

She doubted Albus would leave his possessions to his brother; or even that Aberforth would want them. Most likely they would be left to Hogwarts, where her friend had dedicated the majority of his life and ambition. Although, considering the will was mentioned in this book, Albus had probably left something to Harry as well. Minerva was not surprised by that. She knew how fond Albus had become of the little eleven-year-old boy who had arrived at Hogwarts on a cold September night and that fondness had only increased with each passing year. Besides, if she knew Dumbledore – and she liked to think she did – whatever he had left Harry was something that would be of use to him on the impossible mission he was determined to embark on.

''No, of course it's normal. I'll start reading now, shall I?'' Arthur said hurriedly, feeling slightly embarrassed. He couldn't understand why he found the concept of Dumbledore's will so strange. Perhaps it was because he failed to see how it had anything with the war that was currently waging. Or it could be because the thought of Albus Dumbledore being dead and having a will still seemed not right to him. Dumbledore, to Arthur's mind, was a constant, always supposed to be there, taking charge of the situation, planning their next move, giving advice when needed. How could the greatest wizard of their time be dead? _That kind of thinking is stupid, _he thought emphatically the next second. _You're an adult, not a lost child looking for guidance. Stop that train of thought right now and do something useful instead! _Having been sufficiently scolded by himself, Arthur shook his head as if to clear it and started reading.

**Chapter 7 **

**The Will of Albus Dumbledore**

Dumbledore sat straighter in his chair as he peered at the book in Arthur's hands expectantly. Having his will mentioned in a book which was narrated from Harry's point of view had to mean that he, Ron and Hermione were in fact going to receive the items meant for them and that was a definite source of relief. He had been more than a little worried of the possibility of the Ministry coming up with a flimsy excuse to prevent his former belongings from reaching their new owners. And it was imperative that these items come into Harry and his friends' possession. It would have been much easier of course, if he had been in the position to give them to the three of them in person and explain their purpose, but alas, as usual, life got in the way of his plans. _Or death I suppose in this case, _he thought with a barely-there smile.

Honestly, he could not find it in him to feel bitter or resentful about his death. He knew it had been coming, knew it from the moment he had touched that ring and he had had a whole year to make his peace with it. Well, the timing could have been a bit better, but still. He had lived a long life, had had his fill of noteworthy, admirable actions, as well as shameful, regrettable ones. And after all, as he had once said to Harry, _death is but the next great adventure. _

**He was walking along a mountain road in the cool blue light of dawn. Far below, swathed in mist, was the shadow of a small town. Was the man he sought down there, the man he needed so badly he could think of little else, the man who held the answer, the answer to his problem...?**

''I reckon I speak for everyone here when I say, what?'' said Sirius. What they had just heard made no sense.

Arthur just kept reading, figuring the answer would be in the next lines.

**"Oi, wake up."**

**Harry opened his eyes. He was lying again on the camp bed in Ron's dingy attic room. The sun had not yet risen and the room was still shadowy. Pigwidgeon was asleep with his head under his tiny wing. The scar on Harry's forehead was prickling.**

''So he was dreaming?'' asked Alice, still feeling confused.

''Apparently,'' Kingsley replied, trying to understand what these few lines could have meant. Was Harry seeking some man? But the previous chapters had made no mention of such a thing. Could the dream be referring to Voldemort? He was the only man they knew Harry was seeking.

Dumbledore took care to avoid everyone's gaze. He had a feeling he knew what Harry was dreaming about and why, but he didn't want to say it just yet, not until he was certain.

**"You were muttering in your sleep."**

**"Was I?"**

**"Yeah. 'Gregorovitch.' You kept saying 'Gregorovitch.'"**

Dumbledore closed his eyes tightly for a second, before opening them again. Well, that was as good a proof as any. There was only one reason Harry would dream of Gregorovitch. He was willing to bet wand makers were not often the subject of the boy's dreams.

''Gregorovitch… Where have I heard this name before?'' Frank wondered, mostly talking to himself, but it was Fleur who provided him with an answer.

'' Gregorovitch is a wand maker,'' she said at once. ''I remember eet from when zey were examining our wands before ze Triwizard Tournament,'' she explained, feeling kind of self-conscious from the way everyone had turned their attention to her. She had found the name quite strange when she had first heard it, so the memory had stuck with her.

**Harry was not wearing his glasses; Ron's face appeared slightly blurred.**

''I know the feeling,'' James said sympathetically. ''And it is definitely not an excuse for _some people _to act like complete gits,'' he added, shooting a glare at Remus and Sirius, who started cracking up as they knew what he was talking about.

''Why, what did they do?'' Tonks asked eagerly. She loved hearing about the more mischievous side of her husband.

''If I don't have my glasses on, everything seems blurry and out of shape,'' James had to raise his voice to be heard as he went on, since Lily and Alice had started sniggering as well. ''So these dear friends of mine thought it was a brilliant idea to hide my glasses whenever they found the chance.''

''Well, watching you stumble around, trying not to fall was indeed entertaining,'' Lily told him, grinning widely.

''Hey Moony, do you remember that time Prongs bumped on that girl he had just broken up with, what was her name…?'' Sirius said, still laughing.

''Mary, I think.''

''Right yeah, Mary. And-and he thought she was Lily, so he started flirting and being all sweet-''

''That was not funny!'' James shouted, interrupting Sirius. Not that it mattered, seeing as Sirius was laughing too hard to be able to finish the sentence.

''Oh, I don't know. That slap she gave you was pretty funny,'' Remus managed to say, before he, Lily and Alice collapsed in laughter once again, as they all remembered that scene.

Everyone else in the room had trouble controlling their mirth as well, while James was muttering under his breath about girls with similar hair colour and idiotic friends. It took a while before they all had calmed down enough for Arthur to go on reading.

**"Who's Gregorovitch?"**

**"I dunno, do I?" You were the one saying it."**

**Harry rubbed his forehead, thinking. He had a vague idea he had heard the name before, but he could not think where.**

''Come on, 'Arry, we were both zere,'' Fleur said encouragingly, as if she could somehow make Harry hear her. If she could remember, then so could he.

**"I think Voldemort's looking for him."**

**"Poor bloke," said Ron fervently.**

**Harry sat up, still rubbing his scar, now wide awake. He tried to remember exactly what he had seen in the dream, but all that came back was a mountainous horizon and the outline of the little village cradled in a deep valley.**

**"I think he's abroad."**

**"Who, Gregorovitch?"**

**"Voldemort. I think he's somewhere abroad, looking for Gregorovitch. ****It didn't look like anywhere in Britain."**

_That's most likely true, _Dumbledore thought. If Voldemort was looking for Gregorovitch, he wasn't going to find him in Britain. He supposed, hoping that Tom would never find him was asking too much.

''How would Harry know what Voldemort's looking for?'' asked Lily. The book hadn't mentioned him having another vision.

**"You reckon you were seeing into his mind again?"**

''So what, now Voldemort's in Harry's dreams too?'' James said, feeling anger rising inside him. It wasn't enough that he had visions while awake, now his son couldn't even enjoy his sleep?

''But why is Voldemort looking for Gregorovitch?'' Mad-Eye said sharply.

''Voldemort is searching for a wand,'' came the answer from Dumbledore's low, yet clear voice. ''He knows now of the connection between his and Harry's wands, he knows borrowing someone else's wand did not work and so, he is getting desperate. I believe he is looking for the one wand that, in his mind, will make him invincible.''

''What wand…'' McGonagall started to say, but she trailed off, her eyes widening. ''You can't mean the Elder Wand!''

''The what?'' several voices chorused.

''There have been rumours, legends about a wand so powerful that it makes its owner invulnerable, able to defend themselves against any and all attacks. It is variously known as the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny or the Elder Wand,'' Kingsley explained in a tone that made it clear he very much doubted the existence of this wand.

''And Voldemort thinks Gregorovitch has this wand?'' asked Fred at the same time as Tonks said, trepidation clear in her voice, ''Can you imagine Voldemort with the most powerful wand ever? We'll never be able to defeat him!''

Many people in the room turned to look at her nervously and pretty soon there was a cacophony of sound as everyone started talking at the same time, offering their opinions concerning that dreadful possibility.

''Please!'' McGonagall had to shout to be heard over the commotion. ''We do not know whether Voldemort will be successful in finding the location of the Elder Wand-or even if it actually exists. So, I would suggest that instead of fretting over what-ifs, we carry on with the book and wait to see what we find out.''

Seeing as McGonagall's suggestion was reasonable, the rest of the room agreed, though many still looked afraid.

**Ron sounded worried.**

_Of course he's worried, _Ginny thought, feeling worried herself. She knew Harry insisted he had this whole thing under control, yet she couldn't help feeling apprehensive. If Harry shared Voldemort's dreams, what was stopping him from planting another false vision in Harry's mind, like last time? They had barely escaped then, and not without great losses. She glanced furtively at Sirius and averted her gaze before he could notice. This would not do. If she kept thinking of every bad thing that could happen, the only outcome would be driving herself mad. Besides there was nothing she could do about it. Not here, stuck in this room. She had to trust that Harry knew what he was doing.

**"Do me a favor and don't tell Hermione," said Harry. "Although how she expects me to stop seeing stuff in my sleep..."**

Sirius let out a low sigh. His godson was dealing with so much more than any seventeen-year-old should ever have to. And really, how was Harry supposed to stop himself from dreaming? _There is __Occlumency__, _he reminded himself. But it was difficult to master, and extremely complicated. And with Snape as a teacher… Really what was Dumbledore thinking when he appointed him as Harry's instructor? He knew how much Snape hated Harry, did he really expect it was going to end well? Honestly, Sirius was willing to bet Snape would much rather weaken Harry's mind than strengthen it. He froze then, a terrible thought crossing his mind. What if that was exactly what Snape had done? Instead of helping Harry shield his brain against external penetration, he had weakened it, leaving it vulnerable for Voldemort? Wasn't it after Harry's lessons that Voldemort had managed to fool him, by showing him that false vision in the Ministry? He wouldn't have thought it possible before, mostly because he reckoned Snape wouldn't dare actively hurt Harry under Dumbledore's nose, but now… After he had learned Snape was the one responsible for killing Dumbledore and the way he had acted in the first chapter, he wouldn't put anything past the man.

Sirius opened his mouth in order to tell Dumbledore his thoughts, but he closed it again, without making a sound. He had no proof of Snape doing such a thing and voicing his suspicions now would only serve in causing more distress and panic. But, at the thought of Snape screwing with Harry's mind, he felt hot, white rage coursing through him. _Oh, if only I could get Snivelly in front of me right now…_

**He gazed up at little Pigwidgeon's cage, thinking...**

''I still can't believe you name the owl _Pigwidgeon,'' _said Sirius in mock-disappointment, though he was quite glad to have found something to take his mind from the possibility of Snivellus messing up his godson's mind.

''It's a perfectly fine name,'' said Ginny. ''Ron's the one who made it stupid. _Pig!'' _she added, causing her siblings to laugh at the disdain that was clear in her tone when she said the last word.

**Why was the name "Gregorovitch" familiar?**

_Wonder how long it'll take him to figure it out, _Bill thought. Not long, surely. Harry was quite clever.

**"I think," he said slowly, "he's got something to do with Quidditch. There's some connection, but I can't-I can't think what it is."**

''Quidditch?'' said Remus. ''How does he figure that?''

''Gregorovitch made Krum's wand. Zat's probably why 'Arry thought of Quidditch,'' Fleur explained, a small smile grazing her lips. She was glad to be the one providing information this time. It made her feel useful.

**"Quidditch?" said Ron. "Sure you're not thinking of Gorgovitch?"**

''Pretty sure he's not,'' said Remus, shaking his head.

**"Who?"**

**"Dragomir Gorgovitch, Chaser, transferred to the Chudley Cannons for a record fee two years ago. Record holder for most Quaffle drops in a season."**

**"No," said Harry. "I'm definitely not thinking of Gorgovitch."**

**"I try not to either," said Ron. "Well, happy birthday anyway."**

''Oh, it's his birthday!'' said Lily, grinning widely. Sirius and Remus had a fond expression on their faces and James was smiling as well, though Lily thought she could detect a hint of sadness that she understood all too well. It seemed unreal somehow, that the little baby boy zooming around in his toy broomstick was an adult. And they had missed it.

**"Wow-that's right, I forgot! I'm seventeen!"**

_Only Harry would forget his own birthday, _Ginny thought affectionately. She was curious to see what her gift to him would be. So far she hadn't been able to find anything good enough.

**Harry seized the wand lying beside his camp bed, pointed it at the cluttered desk where he had left his glasses, and said, "Accio Glasses!" Although they were only around a foot away, there was something immensely satisfying about seeing them zoom toward him, at least until they poked him in the eye.**

Sirius snorted. ''Like father, like son.''

''Like you were any better,'' James shot back.

''At least James's spell was safe for those around him,'' Remus added with a smirk.

The others looked at the three men in curiosity, but neither of them offered any more information about what had happened.

**"Slick," snorted Ron.**

**Revelling in the removal of his Trace, Harry sent Ron's possessions flying around the room, causing Pigwidgeon to wake up and flutter excitedly around his cage. Harry also tried tying the laces of his trainers by magic (the resultant knot took several minutes to untie by hand) and, purely for the pleasure of it, turned the orange robes on Ron's Chudley Cannons posters bright blue.**

The majority of the room was laughing at Harry's antics.

''I can't decide which of you two is worse,'' Sirius told James teasingly. Inside though, he was pleased. It was good to hear Harry having fun like any normal kid would.

**"I'd do your fly by hand, though," Ron advised Harry, sniggering when Harry immediately checked it.**

There were several sniggers at that.

**"Here's your present. Unwrap it up here, it's not for my mother's eyes."**

Molly's eyes immediately narrowed, as the twins leaned closer, looking at the book with interest.

**"A book?" said Harry as he took the rectangular parcel. "Bit of a departure from tradition, isn't it?"**

''A book?'' said Fred, sounding disappointed. What was so interesting about a book?

''Hermione will be thrilled,'' drawled Ginny.

**"This isn't your average book," said Ron. "It's pure gold: Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches. Explains everything you need to know about girls. If only I'd had this last year I'd have known exactly how to get rid of Lavender and I would've known how to get going with...**

By the end of Ron's explanation, James, Sirius and Remus were laughing, his brothers were cheering Ron and Molly was shaking her head, as if disappointed by her son.

''Who is Lavender, then?'' asked Arthur. He couldn't remember Ron ever mentioning a girl by that name.

''A girl Ron used to date last year,'' said Ginny. _If what they did can be called dating, _she thought, feeling slightly nauseated as she recalled the countless times she had come across Lavender and _Won-Won _wrapped together in plain sight for all the Gryffindor common room to see. ''He didn't tell you?''

''No,'' Molly replied. It seemed Ron had conveniently forgotten to mention that in the letters he had sent them last year. Not that she would have minded if he had told her. After seven children, she was more than used to finding out about various girlfriends-and boyfriends in Ginny's case. Although, deep inside, she kept holding out hope that her youngest boy would end up with Hermione. Just like Harry and Ginny, and then she'd be able to officially welcome them into her family. She couldn't think of anyone better suited to her children than these two.

''He doesn't seem to be all that in love with her though, if there's someone else he wants to 'get going' with,'' Bill remarked. ''Wonder who she is.''

Fred, George and Ginny exchanged meaningful looks, all fairly certain they knew who Ron was talking about.

**Well, Fred and George gave me a copy, and I've learned a lot. You'd be surprised, it's not all about wandwork, either."**

''I should have known you two were behind this,'' said Molly, pointing an accusing finger at the twins.

''Mum!'' Fred said in a loud and emphatic tone, startling those around him. ''As older brothers, it is our sacred duty to provide our little brother with valuable knowledge and sage advice!''

Arthur's eyebrows were raised and Ginny let out a loud snort.

''Our little Ronald has grown up,'' said George, wiping an imaginary tear from his eyes.

Charlie was grinning widely as he listened to the twins. He had missed their silly jokes while he was in Romania.

**When they arrived in the kitchen they found a pile of presents waiting on the table. Bill and Monsieur Delacour were finishing their breakfasts, while Mrs. Weasley stood chatting to them over the frying pan.**

**"Arthur told me to wish you a happy seventeenth, Harry," said Mrs. Weasley, beaming at him. "He had to leave early for work, but he'll be back for dinner. That's our present on top."**

**Harry sat down, took the square parcel she had indicated, and unwrapped it. Inside was a watch very like the one Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had given Ron for his seventeenth; it was gold, with stars circling around the race instead of hands. **

**"It's traditional to give a wizard a watch when he comes of age," said Mrs. Weasley, watching him anxiously from beside the cooker. "I'm afraid that one isn't new like Ron's, it was actually my brother Fabian's and he wasn't terribly careful with his possessions, it's a bit dented on the back, but-"**

''Thank you, Molly,'' James told her at once. ''It's a wonderful present.''

''Don't mention it,'' she said, beaming at him. She just wished she could have given Harry a new watch.

**The rest of her speech was lost; Harry had got up and hugged her. He tried to put a lot of unsaid things into the hug and perhaps she understood them, because she patted his cheek clumsily when he released her, then waved her wand in a slightly random way, causing half a pack of bacon to flop out of the frying pan onto the floor.**

Molly laughed at her own clumsiness, but her affection for Harry was clear on her face. _My dear boy. _

**"Happy birthday, Harry!" said Hermione, hurrying into the kitchen and adding her own present to the top of the pile. "It's not much, but I hope you like it. What did you get him?" she added to Ron, who seemed not to hear her.**

''He wouldn't dare tell her what his present was,'' laughed Ginny.

**"Come on, then, open Hermione's!" said Ron.**

**She had bought him a new Sneakoscope. **

''Useful,'' said Mad-Eye, nodding.

**The other packages contained an enchanted razor from Bill and Fleur ("Ah yes, zis will give you ze smoothest shave you will ever 'ave," Monsieur Delacour assured him, "but you must tell it clearly what you want...ozzerwise you might find you 'ave a leetle less hair zan you would like..."),**

Fleur gave a small snicker. She knew her dad was speaking from personal experience.

**chocolates from the Delacours, and an enormous box of the latest Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes merchandise from Fred and George.**

''Now that's what I call a present,'' Sirius said enthusiastically when he heard what the last gift was.

''Why, what is it?'' asked James. If Sirius was that excited it had to be good.

''Some merchandise from our joke shop,'' Fred told him and watched James's face light up like a Christmas tree.

''You have a joke shop? And you're giving your stuff to Harry? Oh, this is brilliant!'' James exclaimed with the same amount of enthusiasm as Sirius.

''First the map, now prank material; you two make the Marauders proud,'' Sirius winked at the twins, who looked extremely proud of themselves.

Lily rolled her eyes at her husband and Sirius, who were now questioning the twins about the products they had in their shop. After a while, she got tired of hearing about Skiving Snackboxes, trick wands, fireworks and who knew what else, and she addressed the whole room, raising her voice and effectively interrupting whatever Sirius was about to say next.

''I would like to thank you all for the presents you gave Harry and for making sure his seventheenth birthday did not go unnoticed. Once again, we are very grateful for all you have done for our son,'' she said, indicating herself and James, who had stopped talking with the twins long enough to voice his agreement with what she had said. She was met with a lot of 'Of course's and 'It's our pleasure's as an answer.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione did not linger at the table, as the arrival of Madame Delacour, Fleur, and Gabrielle made the kitchen uncomfortably crowded.**

''Of course they'd jump at the chance to be alone and plot,'' George said the last word in a stage whisper, which caused his siblings to laugh and his mother to frown.

So far there hadn't been a mention of Harry's _mission_ in this chapter and Molly had almost succeeded in convincing herself that the only thing going on was the celebration of Harry's birthday. But of course, it wasn't; since when were things that simple? She was still determined to do whatever possible to stop the three of them from living, though, because the thought of three barely adults being out there on their own with no protection made her sick with worry.

**"I'll pack these for you," Hermione said brightly, taking Harry's presents out of his arms as the three of them headed back upstairs. "I'm nearly done, I'm just waiting for the rest of your underpants to come out of the wash, Ron-"**

There was quite a lot of sniggering there, the most exaggerated coming from Fred and George.

**Ron's splutter was interrupted by the opening of a door on the first-floor landing.**

**"Harry, will you come in here a moment?"**

Ginny peered at the book at her father's hands intensely, as if her gaze could penetrate the cover and look at the words on the page. _First landing? _Her room was there and she was willing to bet that was her voice calling Harry. She felt a flutter of excitement at the thought of being alone with him after-had it only been a month? It felt much longer than that.

**It was Ginny.**

The redhead fidgeted slightly in her chair as she became the recipient of many looks. For a second she had forgotten that everyone else was going to hear about her encounter with Harry as well. _Great. _

''Aw, teen romance,'' Fred said sweetly, clasping his hands together and fluttering his eyelashes, only to dissolve into laughter when Ginny shot him a murderous look.

**Ron came to an abrupt halt, but Hermione took him by the elbow and tugged him on up the stairs. Feeling nervous, Harry followed Ginny into her room.**

**He had never been inside it before. It was small, but bright. There was a large poster of the Wizarding band the Weird Sisters on one wall, and a picture of Gwenog Jones, Captain of the all-witch Quidditch team the Holyhead Harpies, on the other. A desk stood facing the open window, which looked out over the orchard where he and Ginny had once played a two-a-side Quidditch with Ron and Hermione, and which now housed a large, pearly white marquee. The golden flag on top was level with Ginny's window.**

**Ginny looked up into Harry's face, took a deep breath, and said, "Happy seventeenth."**

**"Yeah...thanks."**

''Smooth,'' laughed Tonks.

**She was looking at him steadily; he however, found it difficult to look back at her; it was like gazing into a brilliant light.**

Ginny, who was staring at the book intently, eating up every word, felt her lips curve upwards.

**"Nice view," he said feebly, pointing toward with window.**

**She ignored this.**

_Of course I did, _Ginny thought. _Nice view?_

**He could not blame her.**

**"I couldn't think what to get you," she said.**

**"You didn't have to get me anything."**

**She disregarded this too.**

''This is going well,'' Fred muttered sarcastically under his breath, making sure his sister didn't hear it.

**"I didn't know what would be useful. Nothing too big, because you wouldn't be able to take it with you."**

Even at the indirect mention of what Harry was determined to do, Ginny felt her insides clench painfully. How did he expect her to deal with him being away and in constant danger of getting killed?

**He chanced a glance at her. She was not tearful; that was one of the many wonderful things about Ginny, she was rarely weepy. He had sometimes thought that having six brothers must have toughened her up.**

George patted her approvingly on the back, but Ginny barely noticed, her whole attention devoted to the words coming out of her father's mouth. When else was she going to get an opportunity to hear what Harry thought when he was with her?

**She took a step closer to him.**

**"So then I thought, I'd like you to have something to remember me by, you know, if you meet some veela when you're off doing whatever you're doing."**

Ginny shook her head, letting out a small chuckle. That sounded like her, alright. She cast a quick glance around her, feeling irritation creeping in again. If only there was a way she could enjoy this without having everyone eavesdropping-because that was what it felt like to her. Her and Harry's private moment was supposed to be well, _private. And this is anything but. _

**"I think dating opportunities are going to be pretty thin on the ground, to be honest."**

**"There's the silver lining I've been looking for," she whispered**

Arthur looked at the next lines and felt his discomfort increase. He chanced a glance at his daughter and the determined, eager look she had on her face did nothing to ease it. He really did not look forward to reading what was next and he knew Ginny wouldn't be too thrilled about him being the one to do it either. Arthur was starting to regret his decision to read this particular chapter. If only he had known of the content beforehand… However, there was nothing to be done now, so he went on reading, albeit reluctantly.

**and then she was kissing him as she had never kissed him before, and Harry was kissing her back, and it was blissful oblivion better than firewhisky; she was the only real thing in the world, Ginny, the feel of her, one hand at her back and one in her long, sweet-smelling hair-**

James could feel a smile playing on his lips. He was glad his son had someone in his life that he cared that much for-and he could tell even from their short time in this room that Ginny Weasley cared just as much about him. Besides, she was a redhead. You could never go wrong with redheads.

''You Potters and your obsession with redheads,'' he heard Lily whisper in his ear, unwittingly echoing his thoughts. James grinned at her and draped a hand around her shoulders, lightly stroking her dark red hair.

Charlie groaned loudly. ''Have we got to keep reading this?''

He liked Harry well enough, sure, but listening to his sister and a bloke snogging was not exactly ideal for him. _How does this have anything to do with the war? _he thought, feeling annoyed. The previous chapters, grim as they were, at least had information about the future, contained important material concerning the Order and Voldemort. Even if they intruded in Harry's mind in some way, at least there was a reason. Now that Harry's thoughts were centered more around girls and less around war preparations, Charlie was starting to feel uncomfortable-and the fact that said girl was his sister didn't really help things. He knew how much it would bother him, if anyone was privy to his most private thoughts like that. But then, what was he to do? He could hardly ask them to skip a chapter; it was obvious how much Harry's parents appreciated whatever little chance they got to be close to their son again, even if it was through a book. So, short of finding a way to temporarily leave a room which appeared to have particularly high windows and no doors whatsoever (and he had a strong feeling that should he try to apparate, it wouldn't end well for him), he had no other alternative but to sit down and bear it.

Ginny barely registered Charlie's comment or the sounds of agreement the rest of her brothers made. The girl felt conflicted. On the one hand she could feel a great surge of pleasure coursing inside her; she wasn't exactly averse to snogging Harry, and getting to hear what he thought of it was a wonderful added plus. Yet, there was a definite feeling of foreboding to their conversation. She couldn't help but fear this was going to be the last time the two of them would alone together like that. She tried telling herself she was being foolish, after all Harry wasn't going anywhere at the moment and there was also the wedding and then… what? He _was_ going to leave, that much Ginny was certain of, but when? And when he did, would he let her know? _Of course not, _she thought scoffing. Harry was stupid enough to really believe it'd be better if he simply left without saying goodbye. She would wake up one day to find the three of them gone and she would have been none the wiser. _Damn it, I'm not going to let him pull a vanishing act. He wants to leave, fine, but he's going to have to face me first!_

**The door banged open behind them and they jumped apart.**

**"Oh," said Ron pointedly. "Sorry."**

''Way to go, Ron,'' Bill said in a low voice, feeling relieved. He knew Ginny was disappointed, but he couldn't bring himself to feel bad about it. He had slowly come to terms with the fact that his baby sister was old enough to be dating; her snogging blokes-even if it was Harry-was something he wanted to steer clear of. A look at his father showed that he shared that sentiment.

Ginny felt anger rising inside her. Normally she would have welcomed an interruption, seeing as her family was listening to every word, not to mention Harry's parents and her professors. But, given her fear about this being their last private moment, she just wished it could somehow go on forever, no matter who else was listening. After all, hadn't their first kiss also been in front of an audience? Ginny smiled at the memory, feeling her anger subsiding a bit.

''What does this remind me of?... Oh, right,'' said James, shooting Sirius a glare.

''Merlin, not this again,'' said Sirius, rolling his eyes. ''I said I was sorry. How was I to know you'd be in the dormitory with Lily?''

''Well, he did tell us. About thirty times,'' Remus put in, clearly amused.

''I thought he was making it up,'' Sirius exclaimed to the amusement of the rest of the room. ''How was I supposed to know you were telling the truth this time? Besides, you were only snogging.''

''It was romantic! And you interrupted it!'' James insisted.

''Sorry honey, but I don't think sneaking me in your dormitory for ten minutes before classes started counts as the height of romance. Especially with all your dirty clothes lying around,'' Lily said, laughing at her husband's disgruntled expression.

''We hadn't cleaned yet! And I don't remember you complaining.''

''Didn't say I didn't like it,'' Lily told him with a wicked grin, before leaning forward to place a quick kiss on his lips.

**"Ron!" Hermione was just behind him, slightly out of breath. There was a strained silence, then Ginny said in a flat little voice, "Well, happy birthday anyway, Harry."**

**Ron's ears were scarlet; Hermione looked nervous. Harry wanted to slam the door in their faces, but it felt as though a cold draft had entered the room when the door opened, and his shining moment had popped like a soap bubble. All the reasons for ending his relationship with Ginny, for staying well away from her, seemed to have slunk inside the room with Ron, and all happy forgetfulness was gone.**

Ginny huffed, feeling her anger return, only this time she was also feeling resentful towards Harry, as she remembered his stupid reasons for breaking up with her.

George found himself feeling sorry for both Harry and Ginny. He might make fun of them for a laugh, but truth be told, there was no one else he thought was better for his sister than Harry. He hadn't failed to notice how sad Ginny had looked ever since they came back from Hogwarts and it was obvious Harry hadn't broken up with her because he wanted to. He supposed he understood his reasons for doing so, in light of what he going to do; he didn't want to put her in danger, and George definitely appreciated that. He just hoped they'd find a way to work things out when this all ended. _Provided they're both alive by then, _a vicious little voice whispered in his head, but he decided to ignore it.

**He looked at Ginny, wanting to say something, though he hardly knew what, but she had turned her back on him. He thought that she might have succumbed, for once, to tears. He could not do anything to comfort her in front of Ron.**

The desire to find a way to bring Ron there so she could yell at him properly only increased after Ginny heard these lines.

**"I'll see you later," he said, and followed the other two out of the bedroom.**

**Ron marched downstairs, though the still-crowded kitchen and into the yard, and Harry kept pace with him all the way, Hermione trotting along behind them looking scared.**

**Once he reached the seclusion of the freshly mown lawn, Ron rounded on Harry.**

**"You ditched her. What are you doing now, messing her around?"**

''Messing around? He's not messing me around,'' Ginny cried indignantly.

**"I'm not messing her around," said Harry, as Hermione caught up with them.**

''And even if he was, it's none of your bloody business,'' Ginny yelled at the book.

**"Ron-"**

**But Ron held up a hand to silence her.**

Ginny was getting seriously pissed off at her brother. Molly attempted to get her to calm down, but to no avail.

**"She was really cut up when you ended it-"**

**"So was I. You know why I stopped it, and it wasn't because I wanted to."**

_No, you're just too damn self-sacrificing for your own good, _Ginny thought bitterly, but at the moment she was too furious at Ron to spare any more thoughts on that subject.

**"Yeah, but you go snogging her now and she's just going to get her hopes up again-"**

''What the hell?'' Ginny shouted, feeling completely outraged by now. She wasn't a helpless girl, needing a man to defend her honour. ''Who does he think he is?'' Just because Ron was her brother, it didn't give him the right to dictate her life_. I could snog a hundred boys and it still wouldn't be his business!_

''Ginny, please calm down,'' said Molly once again, trying to placate her riled-up daughter.

''Didn't you hear him?'' Ginny demanded. ''Who asked for his bloody, stupid opinion? As if Harry and me need his permission to do anything,'' the redhead scoffed, her voice becoming more shrill with every word.

''I know you're upset, dear, but I doubt yelling at a book will make any difference,'' Molly pointed out reasonably, while Arthur was nodding encouragingly.

Ginny still looked sullen, but at least she stopped shouting. _Ron's damn lucky he's not here right now. _

**"She's not an idiot, she knows it can't happen, she's not expecting us to-to end up married, or-"**

''Married?'' Ginny repeated, with an incredulous laugh. ''We'd be lucky to get a couple of hours to ourselves, much less think about marriage.''

She had never been one of those girls who devoted hours of their childhood planning the perfect wedding. Sure she had had a few fantasies of her and Harry getting married, when she was like seven and in her mind he was this big hero, but then she grew up, she met Harry and reality set in. And if their time together last spring might have given her some hope of a future together, well their breakup and everything that was going on currently was the most effective wake-up call she could have asked for. So no, she wasn't expecting them to end up married. She loved Harry and was pretty damn sure he loved her too, but right now marriage was the farthest thing from her mind_. Let us get through this ordeal alive and we'll take it from there._

**As he said it, a vivid picture formed in Harry's mind of Ginny in a white dress, marrying a tall, faceless and unpleasant stranger.**

Ginny let out a loud snort, but it was mirthless. Even if she was all for marriage, did Harry really think she would marry someone else, while he was in the picture? And if he wasn't… no, she was so not going down that road. She didn't want to think this far ahead, not when there was much uncertainty at the present.

**In one spiralling moment it seemed to hit him: Her future was free and unencumbered, whereas his...he could see nothing but Voldemort ahead.**

''Yeah, cause we're totally safe,'' Ginny muttered.

There was every possibility that Harry would live to see the end of the war and she wouldn't. Nobody knew what was going to happen, how and when this terrible war was going to end. She usually tried to avoid this kind of thoughts, but she couldn't elude them forever.

Lily's face fell when she heard that and she shot Dumbledore a glare. In her mind, he was the one responsible for getting Harry into this mess. Hadn't Harry said himself that Dumbledore had left him a task to do? Deep down she knew she wasn't being fair, that Dumbledore had done everything he could in a very difficult situation and that Voldemort had to be defeated no matter what. That part of her though, was ignored due to her constant and terrible fear for her son. For the first time in a long time, she felt truly lost. When she had first become a mother, everyone was full of advice and support, telling her to get ready for screaming babies, sleepless nights and to have lots of patience. No one had prepared for this, though. Nobody had told her what to do when her seventeen-year-old son decided to go up against the most powerful dark wizard of their time. Just a few minutes ago she was laughing and teasing her husband, but now she could feel despair blooming inside her. _How am I supposed to react to this? _

**"If you keep groping her every chance you get-"**

Ginny let out a loud groan. Couldn't Ron just shut up already!

**"It won't happen again," said Harry harshly. The day was cloudless, but he felt as though the sun had gone in. "Okay?"**

_Great. No, perfect! Fantastic. _Ginny wondered if her self in the book had followed Harry and Ron after they left her room and heard what they were saying. Probably not, she decided, otherwise she wouldn't have hesitated to give them a piece of her mind. Kind of like Ginny wished she could do now,

**Ron looked half resentful, half sheepish; he rocked backward and forward on his feet for a moment, then said, "Right then, well, that's...yeah."**

_As long as you're satisfied, Ron, _Fred thought, sympathising with Ginny's anger. Honestly, his little brother could be a real blockhead sometimes.

**Ginny did not seek another one-to-one meeting with Harry for the rest of the day, nor by any look or gesture did she show that they had shared more than polite conversation in her room. Nevertheless, Charlie's arrival came as a relief to Harry. It provided a distraction, watching Mrs. Weasley force Charlie into a chair, raise her wand threateningly, and announce that he was about to get a proper haircut.**

''You are not allowed anywhere near my hair,'' Charlie told his mother, an alarmed look on his face as his hand reached up to his head, as if to make sure his hair was still in place.

**As Harry's birthday dinner would have stretched the Burrow's kitchen to breaking point even before the arrival of Charlie, Lupin, Tonks, and Hagrid, several tables were placed end to end in the garden. Fred and George bewitched a number of purple lanterns all emblazoned with a large number 17, to hang in mid-air over the guests. Thanks to Mrs. Weasley's ministrations, George's wound was neat and clean, but Harry was not yet used to the dark hole in the side of his head, despite the twins' many jokes about it.**

George returned his brother's grin, but his hand automatically went to the side of his face, touching his ear. It was an involuntary action, as though he wanted to assure himself the injury hadn't happened yet. He still hadn't had any strong reaction to learning he was going to lose his ear, aside the initial shock, and he hoped that wouldn't change. Mostly because he knew how Fred would react then too, and he George never wanted to see that lost look on his brother's face again.

**Hermione made purple and gold streamers erupt from the end of her wand and drape themselves artistically over the trees and bushes.**

**"Nice," said Ron, as with one final flourish of her wand, Hermione turned the leaves on the crab-apple tree to gold. "You've really got an eye for that sort of thing."**

**"Thank you, Ron!" said Hermione, looking both pleased and a little confused. Harry turned away, smiling to himself. He had a funny notion that he would find a chapter on compliments when he found time to peruse his copy of**_** Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches;**_

Ginny laughed along with the others. She decided she wanted to see that special book after all, just of curiosity. _Harry'd better not use anything from there on me, though._

**he caught Ginny's eye and grinned at her before remembering his promise to Ron and hurriedly striking up a conversation with Monsieur Delacour.**

And just like that her smile turned into a scowl. _Damn Ron!_

**"Out of the way, out of the way!" sang Mrs. Weasley, coming through the gate with what appeared to be a giant, beach-ball-sized Snitch floating in front of her. Seconds later Harry realized that it was his birthday cake, which Mrs. Weasley was suspending with her wand, rather than risk carrying it over the uneven ground.**

''Awesome,'' Sirius and James exclaimed simultaneously. ''A snitch-shaped cake? I wish I had thought to ask for that at my seventeenth birthday,'' James went on, looking at the book longingly, as if hoping the aforementioned cake would jump out of the pages.

''The cake your mother made was still delicious, even if it wasn't like a snitch,'' said Remus.

''Of course _you_ liked it; it was all chocolate,'' Sirius teased him.

''Exactly! Chocolate inside, chocolate outside, extra chocolate on top, what's not to like,'' Remus said with a slightly dreamy expression.

''Er, you'd better continue, Arthur. Moony's currently in a chocolate haze.''

''Oi!''

**When the cake had finally landed in the middle of the table, Harry said, "That looks amazing, Mrs. Weasley."**

**"Oh, it's nothing, dear," she said fondly.**

Lily gave the red-haired woman a warm smile. She felt that no matter how many times she said thank you, it still wouldn't be enough to convey her gratefulness for everything Molly Weasley and her family had done for her son.

**Over her shoulder, Ron gave Harry the thumbs-up and mouthed, **_**Good one**_**.**

Molly rolled her eyes as Bill and Charlie sniggered.

**By seven o'clock all the guests had arrived, led into the house by Fred and George, who had waited for them at the end of the lane.**

''Look at that. You two actually _can _do something useful,'' laughed Bill.

**Hagrid had honoured the occasion by wearing his best, and horrible, hairy brown suit.**

''My suit isn' horrible, is it?'' asked Hagrid, feeling slightly hurt. He considered that suit one of the best items in his wardrobe.

No one answered though, and Arthur wisely decided to keep reading.

**Although Lupin smiled as he shook Harry's hand, Harry thought he looked rather unhappy. It was all very odd; Tonks, beside him, looked simply radiant.**

Tonks beamed happily, but her expression was a bit worried when she turned to Remus. ''Why are you unhappy?''

Remus merely shrugged. Truth be told, he had a pretty good idea what the reason for his mood was, but he wasn't about to admit it to Tonks. Especially not in there and then.

**"Happy birthday, Harry," she said, hugging him tightly.**

**"Seventeen, eh!" said Hagrid as he accepted a bucket-sized glass of wine from Fred. "Six years ter the day since we met, Harry, d'yeh remember it?"**

Hagrid smiled fondly at the memory of the small skinny boy he had met six years ago.

**"Vaguely," said Harry, grinning up at him. "Didn't you smash down the front door, give Dudley a pig's tail, and tell me I was a wizard?"**

James started clapping, Remus, Tonks and Lily were laughing and Sirius practically roared with laughter, occasionally choking out words such as ''pig's tail'', ''smashing doors'', and ''brilliant''.

''Hagrid, you are much cooler,'' Fred started.

''Than we ever thought you could be,'' George finished.

Hagrid grinned at them, deciding to take it as a compliment.

''I have to say Hagrid, when I sent you to talk to Harry, that was not exactly what I had in mind,'' Dumbledore commented, though his eyes were twinkling, a clear sign he was amused.

McGonagall was laughing along with the rest of the room. She remembered having some misgivings about Hagrid being the one to find Harry, but now she thought that it had turned out fine. A smashed door and a pig's tail wasn't enough of a punishment for the horrible way the Dursleys had evidently treated Harry, but she had to admit it was satisfying.

**"I forge' the details," Hagrid chortled. "All righ', Ron, Hermione?"**

**"We're fine," said Hermione. "How are you?"**

**"Ar, not bad. Bin busy, we got some newborn unicorns. I'll show yeh when yeh get back-" Harry avoided Ron's and Hermione's gazes as Hagrid rummaged in his pocket.**

Hagrid's smile slipped off his face as he thought Harry, Ron and Hermione would never get to see those unicorns. _Merlin, please let them be safe._

**"Here. Harry - couldn't think what ter get yeh, but then I remembered this." He pulled out a small, slightly furry drawstring pouch with a long string, evidently intended to be worn around the neck. "Mokeskin. Hide anythin' in there an' no one but the owner can get it out. They're rare, them."**

''This is really useful, Hagrid. Good choice,'' McGonagall said, making sure her surprise didn't show.

Hagrid looked pleased with himself.

**"Hagrid, thanks!"**

**"'S'nothin'," said Hagrid with a wave of a dustbin-lid-sized hand.**

There were several sniggers at that description, which became even louder when Hagrid held his hand in front of him and peered at it.

**"An' there's Charlie! Always liked him-hey! Charlie!"**

Charlie beamed at Hagrid.

**Charlie approached, running his hand slightly ruefully over his new, brutally short haircut.**

Charlie's smile gave way to a shocked expression, while Molly looked triumphant.

''Sorry bro,'' Bill told him sympathetically. He knew how stubborn their mother could be when it came to haircuts.

**He was shorter than Ron, thickset, with a number of burns and scratches up his muscley arms.**

Charlie was too preoccupied with mourning the imminent loss of his hair, to make any comments about his description in the book.

**"Hi, Hagrid, how's it going?"**

**"Bin meanin' ter write fer ages. How's Norbert doin'?"**

Hagrid turned interested eyes to Charlie, who seemed to recover a little as he let out a chuckle.

''I reckon Norberta's more appropriate,'' he told Hagrid.

''Wha- Norbert's a girl?'' Hagrid asked, feeling thoroughly startled.

''Yep.''

**"Norbert?" Charlie laughed. "The Norwegian Ridgeback? We call her Norberta now."**

**"Wha - Norbert's a girl?"**

**"Oh yeah," said Charlie.**

**"How can you tell?" asked Hermione.**

**"They're a lot more vicious," said Charlie. He looked over his shoulder and dropped his voice. "Wish Dad would hurry up and get here. Mum's getting edgy."**

Molly looked at her husband worriedly. These days, being late was rarely a good sign.

**They all looked over at Mrs. Weasley. She was trying to talk to Madame Delacour while glancing repeatedly at the gate.**

**"I think we'd better start without Arthur," she called to the garden at large after a moment or two. "He****must have been held up at –****oh!"**

**They all saw it at the same time: a streak of light that came flying across the yard and onto the table, where it resolved itself into a bright silver weasel, which stood on its hind legs and spoke with Mr. Weasley's voice.**

**"Minister of Magic coming with me."**

Many looked from the book to Arthur with surprise; he himself stared at the words printed on the page in front of him with bewilderment. Why was the Minister of Magic coming to his house?

_This is not good, _Remus thought.

**The Patronus dissolved into thin air, leaving Fleur's family peering in astonishment at the place where it had vanished.**

**"We shouldn't be here," said Lupin at once. "Harry - I'm sorry - I'll explain some other time-" **

**He seized Tonks's wrist and pulled her away; they reached the fence, climbed over it, and vanished from sight.**

''Wait, why are you leaving?'' Lily asked.

''The Ministry isn't exactly werewolf friendly, in case you hadn't noticed,'' Remus replied, the slightest trace of bitterness in his voice.

Lily nodded, the old anger she felt on behalf of her friend resurfacing. That kind of prejudice really had to stop.

**Mrs. Weasley looked bewildered.**

**"The Minister - but why-? I don't understand-"**

''Oh, I hope there isn't anything wrong,'' Molly said apprehensively.

''I'm sure there is a perfectly fine explanation for his presence in your house,'' Kingsley told her in a soothing tone.

**But there was no time to discuss the matter; a second later, Mr. Weasley had appeared out of thin air at the gate, accompanied by Rufus Scrimgeour, instantly recognizable by his mane of grizzled hair.**

**The two newcomers marched across the yard toward the garden and the lantern-lit table, where everybody sat in silence, watching them draw closer. As Scrimgeour came within range of the lantern light, Harry saw that he looked much older than the last time that they had met, scraggy and grim.**

''Of course he looks like that, with everything that's been going on,'' said Lee.

**"Sorry to intrude," said Scrimgeour, as he limped to a halt before the table. "Especially as I can see that I am gate-crashing a party."**

**His eyes lingered for a moment on the giant Snitch cake.**

**"Many happy returns."**

**"Thanks," said Harry.**

**"I require a private word with you," Scrimgeour went on. "Also with Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger."**

''Why?'' Molly asked at once.

''I don't believe there's anything to worry about, Molly,'' said Dumbledore. He had a pretty strong suspicion of why Scrimgeour wanted to talk with those three and he couldn't help but feel relieved.

**"Us?" said Ron, sounding surprised. "Why us?"**

''That's what we'd like to know as well,'' Ginny muttered.

**"I shall tell you that when we are somewhere more private," said Scrimgeour. "Is there such a place?' he demanded of Mr. Weasley.**

**"Yes, of course," said Mr. Weasley, who looked nervous. "The, er, sitting room, why don't you use that?"**

**"You can lead the way," Scrimgeour said to Ron. "There will be no need for you to accompany us, Arthur."**

Arthur did his best to keep the worry out of his voice as he continued reading.

**Harry saw Mr. Weasley exchange a worried look with Mrs. Weasley as he, Ron, and Hermione stood up. As they led the way back to the house in silence, Harry knew that the other two were thinking the same as he was; Scrimgeour must, somehow, have learned that the three of them were planning to drop out of Hogwarts.**

''But he can't have,'' said James. ''There's no way he could have found that out.'' And even if he had, what could he do? He couldn't force them to go back to school, they were all of age. Although, the more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea of the Minister of Magic forcing his son to continue his education. At least he'd be safe at Hogwarts.

**Scrimgeour did not speak as they all passed through the messed kitchen and into the Burrow's sitting room. Although the garden had been full of soft golden evening light, it was already dark in here; Harry flicked his wand at the oil lamps as he entered and they illuminated the shabby but cosy room. Scrimgeour sat himself in the sagging armchair that Mr. Weasley normally occupied, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione to squeeze side by side onto the sofa. Once they had done so, Scrimgeour spoke.**

**"I have some questions for the three of you, and I think it will be best if we do it individually. If you two" - he pointed at Harry and Hermione - "can wait upstairs, I will start with Ronald."**

_He really doesn't know them at all, _Ginny thought with a small smirk, _if he thinks Harry and Hermione are actually going to leave. _

**"We're not going anywhere," said Harry, while Hermione nodded vigorously. "You can speak to us together, or not at all."**

''Good,'' said Sirius. He didn't know why, but he didn't have a good feeling about that Minister.

**Scrimgeour gave Harry a cold, appraising look. Harry had the impression that the Minister was wondering whether it was worthwhile opening hostilities this early.**

''Well, he sounds like a really friendly bloke,'' James remarked, sarcasm heavy on his tone.

**"Very well then, together," he said, shrugging. He cleared his throat. "I am here, as I'm sure you know, because of Albus Dumbledore's will."**

There were many exclamations of relief. The people in the room looked at the book with interest, curious to see what Dumbledore's will would be.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another.**

**"A surprise, apparently! You were not aware then that Dumbledore had left you anything?"**

**"A-all of us?" said Ron, "Me and Hermione too?"**

Dumbledore's lips formed a small smile. He had known that if Harry decided to go on the mission to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger would definitely accompany him and therefore he had acted accordingly.

**"Yes, all of –"**

**But Harry interrupted.**

**"Dumbledore died over a month ago. Why has it taken this long to give us what he left us?"**

''Because the Ministry's a bunch of idiots,'' Lee said heatedly.

**"Isn't it obvious?" said Hermione, before Scrimgeour could answer. "They wanted to examine whatever he's left us. You had no right to do that!" she said, and her voice trembled slightly.**

''She's right,'' said Alice, sitting straighter in her chair. ''The only reason the Ministry's in liberty of seizing one's possessions after they have passed away is in case there is strong suspicion of the deceased passing on dark artefacts. The Decree for Justifiable Confiscation is very clear on that. And I refuse to believe Albus would try to pass on anything cursed.''

Dumbledore appreciated the support, but he couldn't claim he was surprised at the Ministry's actions. So long as his wishes would be respected in the end, he was satisfied.

**"I had every right," said Scrimgeour dismissively. "The Decree for Justifiable Confiscation gives the Ministry the power the confiscate the contents of a will-"**

**"That law was created to stop wizards passing on Dark artifacts," said Hermione, "and the Ministry is supposed to have powerful evidence that the deceased's possessions are illegal before seizing them! Are you telling me that you thought Dumbledore was trying to pass us something cursed?"**

''Go Hermione,'' said Fred.

**"Are you planning to follow a career in Magical Law, Miss Granger?" asked Scrimgeour.**

''She'd do brilliantly,'' Molly said with conviction. She could feel her anger rising at Scrimgeour's behaviour.

**"No, I'm not," retorted Hermione. "I'm hoping to do some good in the world!"**

''I'm afraid that's a bit hard to accomplish at the moment,'' Tonks said tempestuously.

**Ron laughed. Scrimgeour's eyes flickered toward him and away again as Harry spoke.**

**"So why have you decided to let us have our things now? Can't think of a pretext to keep them?"**

**"No, it'll be because thirty-one days are up," said Hermione at once. "They can't keep the objects longer than that unless they can prove they're dangerous. Right?"**

**"Would you say you were close to Dumbledore, Ronald?" asked Scrimgeour, ignoring Hermione. Ron looked startled.**

_He's going to say something stupid, _Ginny immediately thought.

**"Me? Not - not really... It was always Harry who..."**

_I knew it._

**Ron looked around at Harry and Hermione, to see Hermione giving him a stop-talking-now! sort of look, but the damage was done; Scrimgeour looked as though he had heard exactly what he had expected, and wanted, to hear. He swooped like a bird of prey upon Ron's answer.**

''Great, as if the Minister didn't suspect them enough,'' said George, shaking his head.

**"If you were not very close to Dumbledore, how do you account for the fact that he remembered you in his will? He made exceptionally few personal bequests. The vast majority of his possessions - his private library, his magical instruments, and other personal effects - were left to Hogwarts. Why do you think you were singled out?"**

''I'm guessing it has to do with their mission, right?'' McGonagall asked Dumbledore in low voice, but it carried easily across the silent room. Dumbledore nodded.

_At least they won't be completely helpless, _Bill thought. Whatever Dumbledore had left those three, he knew it had to be useful. _Silver lining I suppose. _

**"I...dunno," said Ron. "I...when I say we weren't close...I mean, I think he liked me..."**

Dumbledore leaned back against his chair. Indeed, he did like Ron. He might not have had as many encounters with him or Hermione as he had with Harry, but he had learned enough about them to realise they were good, trustworthy people and loyal friends. That was all he needed to know.

**"You're being modest, Ron," said Hermione. "Dumbledore was very fond of you."**

''Hermione to the rescue,'' Fred said with a chuckle.

**This was stretching the truth to breaking point; as far as Harry knew, Ron and Dumbledore had never been alone together, and direct contact between them had been negligible. However, Scrimgeour did not seem to be listening. He put his hand inside his cloak and drew out a drawstring pouch much larger than the one Hagrid had given Harry. From it, he removed a scroll of parchment which he unrolled and read aloud.**

**"'The Last Will and Testament of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore'... Yes, here we are... 'To Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, in the hope that he will remember me when he uses it.'"**

''Your Deluminator?'' Arthur interrupted himself to say, feeling confused as he directed his gaze from the book to his old Headmaster. ''It's a valuable object, don't get me wrong, but I fail to see how it will be useful to Ron.''

''Well?'' said McGonagall, when all Dumbledore did was regard them all with a serene expression, the tips of his fingers pressed together, resembling a praying gesture. ''Won't you explain?''

''It will take quite a lot of time to explain the significance and purpose of all my bequests and it will definitely be complicated. I reckon it will be easier to let you find out their use along the way. Besides, I cannot deny I am interested in hearing your theories.''

The majority of the people in the room disagreed with Dumbledore's decision and had no qualms about making it clear, loudly and emphatically. McGonagall's voice was the loudest however.

''You infuriating-''

''Old man,'' Dumbledore finished for her, without any changes in his expression. ''Yes, I know. I do believe you're starting to repeat yourself, my dear professor McGonagall.''

''Oh, go save your beard, Albus,'' she retorted huffily.

''I doubt the result would be very satisfying.''

''Does that mean you've tried it before?'' asked McGonagall, causing loud laughter to erupt all over the room. Most of them had had both Dumbledore and McGonagall as teachers at Hogwarts and knew they were close friends, but they had no idea their private encounters were so entertaining.

**Scrimgeour took from the bag an object that Harry had seen before: It looked something like a silver cigarette lighter, but it had, he knew, the power to suck all light from a place, and restore it, with a simple click. Scrimgeour leaned forward and passed the Deluminator to Ron, who took it and turned it over in the fingers looking stunned.**

''Little surprise there,'' said Charlie. Try as he might, he couldn't come up with any instance where a Deluminator would be of use to Ron, unless they ever needed to make a quick escape. Yet, considering what Ron and the other two were going to do, Charlie had expected Dumbledore to will them stuff that could actually be used to defend themselves, help them survive. A Deluminator would certainly not make that list. He looked at Dumbledore, annoyed that he refused to tell them why he had made the choice to give that object to Ron. The aged wizard could be seriously enigmatic when he wanted to.

**"That is a valuable object," said Scrimgeour, watching Ron. "It may even be unique. Certainly it is of Dumbledore's own design. Why would he have left you and item so rare?"**

**Ron shook his head, looking bewildered.**

**"Dumbledore must have taught thousands of students," Scrimgeour persevered. "Yet the only ones he remembered in his will are you three. Why is that? To what use did he think you would put to the Deluminator, Mr. Weasley?"**

''He won't tell us,'' McGonagall mutter sourly, glancing at Dumbledore, but he seemed not to hear her.

**"Put out lights, I s'pose," mumbled Ron. "What else could I do with it?"**

Nobody could think of any other use for it.

**Evidently Scrimgeour had no suggestions. After squinting at Ron for a moment or two, he turned back to Dumbledore's will.**

**"'To Miss Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my copy of **_**The Tales of Beedle the Bard**_**, in the hope that she will find it entertaining and instructive.'"**

''A children's book? Seriously? What good will that do?'' asked Molly, her voice ringing with disbelief. She could remember reading stories from that book to her children. It was entertaining and had definitely proved valuable every time she had been too tired to think of a new story, but that was it. _The tales of Beedle the Bard _was not something she would have opted to give someone who was determined to face You-Know-Who.

Instead of answering however, Dumbledore merely motioned for Arthur to carry on reading.

**Scrimgeour now pulled out of the bag a small book that looked as ancient as the copy of **_**Secrets of the Darkest Art**_** upstairs. Its binding was stained and peeling in places. Hermione took it from Scrimgeour without a word. She held the book in her lap and gazed at it. Harry saw that the title was in runes; he had never learned to read them. As he looked, a tear splashed onto the embossed symbols. **

Molly looked at the book, wishing there was a way she could comfort Hermione.

**"Why do you think Dumbledore left you that book, Miss Granger?" asked Scrimgeour.**

**"He... he knew I liked books," said Hermione in a thick voice, mopping her eyes with her sleeve.**

**"But why that particular book?"**

**"I don't know. He must have thought I'd enjoy it."**

''I s'posse after spending your day trying to find Horcruxes and not get killed, anyone would like to kick back and enjoy a bit of reading,'' said Fred, attempting to bring some levity to the tense atmosphere around the room, though he knew this joke was not particularly funny.

**"Did you ever discuss codes, or any means of passing secret messages, with Dumbledore?"**

''Is there a code? Have you left a secret message inside the book?'' McGonagall asked at once, but predictably, Dumbledore didn't answer.

**"No, I didn't," said Hermione, still wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "And if the Ministry hasn't found any hidden codes in this book in thirty-one days, I doubt that I will."**

**She suppressed a sob. They were wedged together so tightly that Ron had difficulty extracting his arm to put it around Hermione's shoulders. Scrimgeour turned back to the will.**

**"'To Harry James Potter,'" he read, and Harry's insides contracted with a sudden excitement, "'I leave the Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts, as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill.'"**

''The contents of this will are getting more and more weird,'' said James, feeling disappointed. He had hoped for something important, something Harry could use. As much as he liked the Snitches, he had to admit, they weren't much useful outside the Quidditch pitch. _How is a tiny ball supposed to help my son?_

**As Scrimgeour pulled out the tiny, walnut-sized golden ball, its silver wings fluttered rather feebly, and Harry could not help feeling a definite sense of anticlimax.**

**"Why did Dumbledore leave you this Snitch?" asked Scrimgeour.**

**"No idea," said Harry. "For the reasons you just read out, I suppose... to remind me what you can get if you... persevere and whatever it was."**

**"You think this a mere symbolic keepsake, then?"**

**"I suppose so," said Harry. "What else could it be?"**

Unless… James's head shot up suddenly as an idea crossed his mind. He had made it his business to know everything there was to know about Quidditch and all things related to it, therefore he knew every detail concerning Snitches, including the fact that, ''Snitches have flesh memories,'' he said, drawing everyone's attention to himself. ''They can remember the first person who touched them.''

''Which makes them a perfect hiding place for any kind of small objects,'' Sirius added, realising where James was going with this. ''So if this snitch was captured by Harry, it will remember his touch.''

''You reckon Dumbledore left something for Harry, hidden in that Snitch?'' asked Frank. It seemed weird talking about Dumbledore as if he wasn't there, but since he refused to answer their questions…

''Maybe,'' James replied. It was the only explanation he could think of that made sense.

Dumbledore felt his lips twitch upwards. _Very good._

**"I'm asking the questions," said Scrimgeour, shifting his chair a little closer to the sofa. Dusk was really falling outside now; the marquee beyond the windows towered ghostly white over the hedge.**

**"I noticed that your birthday cake is in the shape of a Snitch," Scrimgeour said to Harry. "Why is that?"**

''Because he's a fantastic seeker,'' Molly told the book angrily, not caring about the fact Scrimgeour couldn't possibly hear her. His behaviour was pissing her off. He was acting as if he suspected Ron and the other two, as if they had done something wrong. And they were all supposed to be on the same side.

**Hermione laughed derisively.**

**"Oh, it can't be a reference to the fact Harry's a great Seeker, that's way too obvious," she said. "There must be a secret message from Dumbledore hidden in the icing!"**

_If only, _Lily thought. Even a message would have been more helpful than the real man, who right now was determined to annoy them all with his continued silence.

**"I don't think there's anything hidden in the icing," said Scrimgeour, "but a Snitch would be a very good hiding place for a small object. You know why, I'm sure?"**

**Harry shrugged, Hermione, however, answered: Harry thought that answering questions correctly was such a deeply ingrained habit she could not suppress the urge.**

Fred and George snorted.

**"Because Snitches have flesh memories," she said.**

**"What?" said Harry and Ron together; both considered Hermione's Quidditch knowledge negligible. **

_Colour me surprised as well, _Ginny thought. She remembered an argument she had had with Hermione last term, in which the redhead had told the older girl to stop pretending she knew anything about Quidditch, because she'd just embarrass herself. Looks like she had been wrong.

**"Correct," said Scrimgeour. "A Snitch is not touched by bare skin before it is released, not even by the maker, who wears gloves. It carries an enchantment by which it can identify the first human to lay hands upon it, in case of a disputed ****capture. This Snitch" - he held up the tiny golden ball - "will remember your touch, Potter.**

**It occurs to me that Dumbledore, who had prodigious magical skill, whatever his other faults, might have enchanted this Snitch so that it will open only for you."**

James was nodding as he heard these lines. Apparently he was right. But he could feel anxiety creeping up on him. If Scrimgeour had figured it out as well, he would demand that Harry touch the Snitch in front of him. And whatever it was that Dumbledore had left him, James was sure it wasn't meant for the public's eye. How was Harry going to get away with that?

**Harry's heart was beating rather fast. He was sure that Scrimgeour was right. How could he avoid taking the Snitch with his bare hand in front of the Minister? **

James looked at Dumbledore, expecting to see the bespectacled wizard looking anxious about the predicament Harry was currently in. However, Dumbledore's calm expression seemed to not have changed at all. It was infuriating, truly.

**"You don't say anything," said Scrimgeour. "Perhaps you already know what the Snitch contains?"**

**"No," said Harry, still wondering how he could appear to touch the Snitch without really doing so. If only he knew Legilimency, really knew it, and could read Hermione's mind; he could practically hear her brain whizzing beside him.**

**"Take it," said Scrimgeour quietly.**

Everyone tensed as they trained their gazes on the book. They were all sure Dumbledore had left Harry something inside the Snitch and now it was going to be revealed.

**Harry met the Minister's yellow eyes and knew he had no option but to obey. He held out his hand, and Scrimgeour leaned forward again and place the Snitch, slowly and deliberately, into Harry's palm.**

**Nothing happened. As Harry's fingers closed around the Snitch, its tired wings fluttered and were still. Scrimgeour, Ron, and Hermione continued to gaze avidly at the now partially concealed ball, as if still hoping it might transform in some way.**

''Nothing?'' Remus's exclamation was echoed by many others. The man felt baffled. After James and Sirius's explanation about the Snitches, Remus had been sure they had figured out Dumbledore's intention. But if nothing happened when Harry touched the ball… _So much for that theory. _

**"That was dramatic," said Harry coolly. Both Ron and Hermione laughed.**

So did many of the others around the room, though they still felt disappointed that they hadn't managed to figure out why the Snitch was so important that Dumbledore had felt the need to leave it to Harry in his will.

**"That's all, then, is it?" asked Hermione, making to raise herself off the sofa.**

**"Not quite," said Scrimgeour, who looked bad tempered now. "Dumbledore left you a second bequest, Potter."**

_He did?_ thought Kingsley._ Maybe this one will make sense. _

**"What is it?" asked Harry, excitement rekindling.**

**Scrimgeour did not bother to read from the will this time.**

**"The sword of Godric Gryffindor," he said. **

Everyone's eyes turned to Dumbledore.

**Hermione and Ron both stiffened. Harry looked around for a sign of the ruby-encrusted hilt, but Scrimgeour did not pull the sword from the leather pouch, which in any case looked much too small to contain it.**

''Where is it then?'' Tonks demanded. Out of all the items mentioned, the sword seemed to be the most useful one. Not because she understood why Dumbledore had left it to Harry, but because, well, if worse came to worse, they could always stab someone with it.

**"So where is it?" Harry asked suspiciously.**

**"Unfortunately," said Scrimgeour, "that sword was not Dumbledore's to give away. The sword of Godric Gryffindor is an important historical artefact, and as such, belongs-"**

''It belongs to Harry!'' Ginny cried hotly. The sword only presented itself to a true Gryffindor, and Harry definitely fit that qualification.

**"It belongs to Harry!" said Hermione hotly. "It chose him, he was the one who found it, it came to him out of the Sorting Hat-"**

''It did?'' said Lily, surprised and a little pleased.

She hadn't heard of any other such incident. Though it still didn't explain why Dumbledore had left it to Harry. _No, hang on, _she thought, perking up as she realised something. Her mind traveled back to the previous chapter, to what Hermione had said about the Horcruxes. Whatever destroyed it had to be so destructive that the Horcrux wouldn't be able to repair itself. She also tried to remember what she knew about the sword. ''It's goblin-made, the blade imbibes only that which will strengthen it,'' she muttered to herself, though she was aware of Dumbledore watching her. ''That's it, of course!'' she said suddenly and loudly, startling James without noticing. ''The sword… that's why you gave it to Harry isn't it?'' She had her whole attention devoted to Dumbledore, hoping for a confirmation.

The former Headmaster of Hogwarts neither confirmed nor denied Lily's discovery, he merely tipped his head lightly forward, the barest hint of a smile on his lips, a gesture which everyone took to mean that whatever Lily had guessed, she was right.

''Since my powers of mind-reading are a bit rusty today, would you mind enlightening the rest of us about your sudden epiphany?'' asked Sirius, sarcasm clear on his voice.

''Dumbledore didn't leave Harry the sword just because he's in Gryffindor. It's much more important than that.'' At everyone's baffled looks, she finally explained, ''The sword can destroy Horcruxes!''

''Fantastic,'' said James enthusiastically, after a couple of seconds of stunned silence. Finally Harry had something that could actually be of some use. The next moment though, his face fell, as he remembered that his son and his friends did _not _in fact have the sword.

**"According to reliable historical sources, the sword may present itself to any worthy Gryffindor," said Scrimgeour. "That does not make it the exclusive property of Mr. Potter, whatever Dumbledore may have decided."**

Dumbledore heaved a sigh. He could not claim to be surprised by this turn of events, however it did force his plans to become slightly more complicated.

''Bloody oaf,'' Sirius was snarling, presumably referring to Scrimgeour. ''They need this sword! What the hell's his problem?''

''He's an idiot, that's what,'' James mumbled sourly.

**Scrimgeour scratched his badly shaven cheek, scrutinizing Harry. "Why do you think-?"**

**"-Dumbledore wanted to give me the sword?" said Harry, struggling to keep his temper. "Maybe he thought it would look nice on my wall."**

That caused several snorts of laughter.

''That's the spirit, Harry,'' said Fred.

**"This is not a joke, Potter!" growled Scrimgeour. "Was it because Dumbledore believed that only the sword of Godric Gryffindor could defeat the Heir of Slytherin? Did he wish to give you that sword, Potter, because he believed, as do many, that you are the one destined to destroy He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"**

The snorts turned to frowns.

''Destined, is he?'' Ginny muttered under her breath. The word left a bitter taste in her mouth.

**"Interesting theory," said Harry. "Has anyone ever tried sticking a sword in Voldemort? Maybe the Ministry should put some people onto that, instead of wasting their time stripping down Deluminators or covering up breakouts from Azkaban. So this is what you've been doing, Minister, shut up in your office, trying to break open a Snitch? People are dying – I was nearly one of them – Voldemort chased me across three countries, he killed Mad-Eye Moody, but there's no word about any of that from the Ministry, has there? And you still expect us to cooperate with you!"**

Stunned silence followed Harry's angry speech. While it was obvious the Minister and Harry weren't the best of friends, no one expected Harry to speak that way. After a few minutes though, grins started breaking out all around the place.

''That's my boy,'' James said proudly.

''You tell him, Harry,'' said Bill, his smile full of satisfaction. It was about time the Minister had a good telling off, even if it was not likely to improve Scrimgeour's attitude towards Harry.

**"You go too far!" shouted Scrimgeour, standing up: Harry jumped to his feet too. Scrimgeour limped toward Harry and jabbed him hard in the chest with the point of his wand; it singed a hole in Harry's T-shirt like a lit cigarette.**

''Oi, what is he doing?'' Lily cried indignantly, as she stood up and glared accusingly at the book. She knew Harry had been less than polite to Scrimgeour, but it didn't excuse such a reaction.

''How dare he lay a wand on my godson,'' Sirius said in the same tone, a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

Dumbledore didn't make any comments, yet his expression was darkened. He had no doubt Harry would be able to deal with Scrimgeour, but still, that was no way to treat someone; especially someone like Harry, who had already been forced to bear the Ministry's horrible attitude towards him.

**"Oi!" said Ron, jumping up and raising his own wand,**

''No, don't do anything,'' James said hastily. He appreciated the friendly support, but he was worried of Ron's actions setting Scrimgeour off. The last thing Harry needed right now was to get arrested.

**but Harry said, "No! D'you want to give him an excuse to arrest us?"**

**"Remembered you're not at school, have you?" said Scrimgeour breathing hard into Harry's face. "Remembered that I am not Dumbledore, who forgave your insolence and insubordination? You may wear that scar like a crown, Potter, but it is not up to a seventeen-year-old boy to tell me how to do my job! It's time you learned some respect!"**

Many dark looks were thrown at the book at these words. Arthur was holding the thick novel with more force than was needed.

''It's time you earned his respect,'' said Remus hotly.

**"It's time you earned it," said Harry.**

James smile at Remus.

**The floor trembled; there was a sound of running footsteps, then the door to the sitting room burst open and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley ran in.**

''Finally,'' Molly exclaimed with relief. Hopefully her and Arthur's presence would be enough to keep the situation from escalating.

**"We-we thought we heard -" began Mr. Weasley, looking thoroughly alarmed at the sight of Harry and the Minister virtually nose to nose.**

Arthur let out mirthless snort. It would be an alarming sight, alright.

**"—raised voices," panted Mrs. Weasley.**

**Scrimgeour took a couple of steps back from Harry, glancing at the hole he had made in Harry's T-shirt. He seemed to regret his loss of temper.**

''Realised you acted like a piece of shit, did you?'' James commented, anger still evident in his voice for the way that man had treated his son.

**"It – it was nothing," he growled. "I … regret your attitude," he said, looking Harry full in the face once more. "You seem to think that the Ministry does not desire what you – what Dumbledore – desired. We ought to work together."**

''Bit hard to work out a partnership when you insult and threaten him at every turn,'' Sirius commented airily, but the gleam was still visible in his eyes.

**"I don't like your methods, Minister," said Harry. "Remember?"**

**For the second time, he raised his right fist and displayed to Scrimgeour the scar that still showed white on the back of it, spelling **_**I must not tell lies**_**.**

''What? Why does he have these scars?'' Lily asked immediately, her eyes searching frantically across the room for someone to give her an answer.

Ginny decided to take this one, seeing as she was actually at school during Umbridge's reign of terror. At the end of her explanation-with additional commentary from Fred and George- Lily was white as a sheet with anger and James looked like he very much wished to hit something, preferrably Umbridge.

''That bitch! That-that hag… how dare she-'' Lily was fuming, her words becoming unintelligible, but no one had any trouble guessing what she was saying.

''And you insisted we make nice with her,'' McGonagall rounded on Dumbledore, needing an outlet for her temper. ''You insisted we respect her position and all the while she had been treating the students like-like that! I's barbaric! I should have hexed her while I had the chance.''

''Ant then she would have fired you faster than you could blink,'' Dumbledore replied calmly, though his blue eyes were flashing. ''I was merely trying to ensure your stay at Hogwarts.''

McGonagall stared at her friend for a couple of minutes, before averting her gaze and muttering, ''Would've been worth it.''

**Scrimgeour's expression hardened. He turned away without another word and limped from the room. Mrs. Weasley hurried after him; Harry heard her stop at the back door. After a minute or so she called, "He's gone!"**

''Thank Merlin,'' said Charlie.

''And not a moment too soon,'' added Bill with a grimace.

''**What did he want?" Mr. Weasley asked, looking around at Harry, Ron, and Hermione as Mrs. Weasley came hurrying back to them.**

**"To give us what Dumbledore left us," said Harry. "They've only just released the content of his will."**

''Not all of them unfortunately,'' said James, still affronted that the sword was not given to them, when they had dire need of it.

**Outside in the garden, over the dinner tables, the three objects Scrimgeour had given them were passed from hand to hand. Everyone exclaimed over the Deluminator and The Tales of Beedle the Bard and lamented the fact that Scrimgeour had refused to pass on the sword, but none of them could offer any suggestion as to why Dumbledore would have left Harry an old Snitch. As Mr. Weasley examined the Deluminator for the third of fourth time, Mrs. Weasley said tentatively, "Harry, dear, everyone's awfully hungry we didn't like to start without you… Shall I serve dinner now?"**

His mother's words caused Fred's stomach to rumble and it served as a reminder that they had been in this room for quite some time. He wondered if they were ever going to take a break to eat something. But where would they even find food? Would the room provide them with a meal, like the Room of Requirement? Or maybe they could leave for a while, go to the Burrow and enjoy his mother's delicious meals. He was roused from the pleasant thought of deciding what he wanted to eat by his father's voice, as he went on reading.

**They all ate rather hurriedly and then after a hasty chorus of "Happy Birthday" and much gulping of cake, the party broke up.**

Molly had a cross expression on her face. Not only had the Minister treated Harry horribly, now he had spoiled his birthday party as well.

**Hagrid, who was invited to the wedding the following day, but was far too bulky to sleep in the overstretched Burrow, left to set up a tent for himself in a neighbouring field.**

**"Meet us upstairs," Harry whispered to Hermione, while they helped Mrs. Weasley restore the garden to its normal state. "After everyone's gone to bed."**

Molly's expression remained cross, but she had given up getting upset over their constant secret meetings.

**Up in the attic room, Ron examined his Deluminator, and Harry filled Hagrid's mokeskin purse, not with gold, but with those items he most prized, apparently worthless though some of them were the Marauder's Map, the shard of Sirius's enchanted mirror,**

James, Sirius and Remus exchanged wide grins.

**and R.A.B.'s locket. He pulled the string tight and slipped the purse around his neck, then sat holding the old Snitch and watching its wings flutter feebly. **

''At least he's not throwing it around all the time,'' said Lily in a whisper that was loud enough for the whole room to hear and smiled sweetly at her husband's affronted expression.

**At last, Hermione tapped on the door and tiptoed inside.**

**"Muffliato," she whispered, waving her wand in the direction of the stairs.**

**"Thought you didn't approve of that spell?" said Ron.**

**"Times change," said Hermione. "Now, show us that Deluminator."**

**Ron obliged at once. Holding it up in front of him, he clicked it. The solitary lamp they had lit went out at once.**

Once again, the same thought occurred to Fleur. _Why ze Deluminator? _Sure, it was impressive to be able to put out all the lights at once, but how useful could it really be in a dangerous situation? Even in the cover of darkness, they weren't completely protected from spells and curses.

**"The thing is," whispered Hermione through the dark, "we could have achieved that with Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder."**

Fred and George high-fived each other, looki pleased.

**There was a small click, and the ball of light from the lamp flew back to the ceiling and illuminated them all once more.**

**"Still, it's cool," said Ron, a little defensively. "And from what they said, Dumbledore invented it himself!"**

**"I know but, surely he wouldn't have singled you out in his will just to help us turn out the lights!"**

''That's what we've been saying,'' said Bill, still irritated with Dumbledore's unwillingness to explain to them the purpose of the items in his will.

**"D'you think he knew the Ministry would confiscate his will and examine everything he'd left us?" asked Harry.**

**"Definitely," said Hermione. "He couldn't tell us in the will why he was leaving us these things, but that still doesn't explain…"**

**"… why he couldn't have given us a hint when he was alive?" asked Ron.**

''Y'know that is a very good question,'' said Lily, turning to face Dumbledore.

Surprising exactly no one, the older wizard remained silent, only a slight smile playing on his lips, above his joined fingers.

**"Well, exactly," said Hermione, now flicking through **_**The Tales of Beedle the Bard**_** . "If these things are important enough to pass on right under the nose of the Ministry, you'd think he'd have let us know why… unless he thought it was obvious?"**

''It's obvious only to you,'' McGonagall huffed.

**"Thought wrong, then, didn't he?" said Ron. "I always said he was mental. Brilliant and everything, but cracked.**

Arthur peered nervously at Dumbledore, ready to make an excuse for Ron's words, but to his surprise, and relief he saw that the former Headmaster didn't seem offended; on the contrary he looked quite amused.

**Leaving Harry an old Snitch – what the hell was that about?"**

**"I've no idea," said Hermione. "When Scrimgeour made you take it, Harry, I was so sure that something was going to happen!"**

''That makes two of us,'' said James, still disappointed his brilliant Snitch theory hadn't worked out.

**"Yeah, well," said Harry, his pulse quickened as he raised the Snitch in his fingers. "I wasn't going to try too hard in front of Scrimgeour, was I?"**

''What's that supposed to mean?'' asked Sirius, his confusion turning to suspicion as he was Dumbledore's smile widen a little.

**"What do you mean?" asked Hermione.**

**"The Snitch I caught in my first ever Quidditch match?" said Harry. "Don't you remember?"**

The people around the room were exchanging confused looks, when all of sudden Fred and George gasped, looked at each other and then simultaneously at Dumbledore, grins stretching over their faces.

''That's brilliant, Professor,'' George told him, looking impressed.

''Thank you, Mr. Weasley.''

**Hermione looked simply bemused. Ron, however, gasped, pointing frantically from Harry to the Snitch and back again until he found his voice.**

**"That was the one you nearly swallowed!"**

''He what?'' Lily's voice was loud with disbelief. How could Harry have _nearly_ _swallowed _a Snitch?

Fred and George recounted Harry's first ever Quidditch game and by the end Lily was rolling her eyes while Sirius and Remus were laughing quite loudly.

''There's no doubt he's your son, Prongs,'' Sirius told James between bouts of laughter.

''I never swallowed a Snitch!''

''No, but the way you were playing with it, there were times when I was sure you were about to kiss it,'' said Remus, causing Lily and Alice, who knew James's obsession with Snitches very well, to dissolve into laughter as well.

''If you're all done behaving like children,'' James said sternly (''You're one to talk,'' Sirius gasped), ''we can go on with the story.''

**"Exactly," said Harry, and with his heart beating fast, he pressed his mouth to the Snitch.**

**It did not open.**

''Oh, come on!'' Ginny cried. What the hell was the deal with that ball?

**Frustration and bitter disappointment welled up inside him: He lowered the golden sphere, but then Hermione cried out.**

Excitement mounted again.

**"Writing! There's writing on it, quick, look!" He nearly dropped the Snitch in surprise and excitement.**

**Hermione was quite right. Engraved upon the smooth golden surface, where seconds before there had been nothing, were five words written in the thin, slanted handwriting that Harry recognized as Dumbledore's;**

_**I open at the close**_**.**

''I open at the close,'' repeated half a dozen voices. What was that supposed to mean now?

_Just when we think we're about to get some answers, we end up with even more questions, _Tonks thought. _Typical. _

**"I open at the close…." What's that supposed to mean?"**

**Hermione and Ron shook their heads, looking blank.**

**"I open at the close… at the close… I open at the close…"**

**But no matter how often they repeated the words, with many different inflections, they were unable to wring any more meaning from them.**

''Just one more mystery to solve,'' Sirius said with fake cheerfulness.

**"And the sword," said Ron finally, when they had at last abandoned their attempts to divine meaning in the Snitch's inscription. "Why did he want Harry to have the sword?"**

''Well, at least we know that,'' said Lily with a trace of smugness in her voice.

**"And why couldn't he just have told me?" Harry said quietly. "I was there, it was right there on the wall of his office during all our talks last year! If he wanted me to have it, why didn't he just give it to me then?"**

No one even bothered to ask Dumbledore, all knowing very well he wouldn't reply.

**He felt as though he were sitting in an examination with a question he ought to have been able to answer in front of him, his brain slow and unresponsive. Was there something he had missed in the long talks with Dumbledore last year? Ought he to know what it all meant? Had Dumbledore expected him to understand?**

''Oh Harry, it's not your fault,'' Lily said softly. How was he expected to make sense of all that mess he was in?

**"And as for this book," said Hermione, "**_**The Tales of Beedle the Bard**_** … I've never even heard of them!"**

''She hasn't?'' Charlie asked in surprise. Everyone knew _The Tales of Beedle the Bard. _

''She's Muggleborn,'' Ginny pointed out reasonably. ''I doubt her parents told her 'The Wizard and the Hopping Pot' as a bedtime story.''

''Oh… right.''

**"You've never heard of **_**The Tales of Beedle the Bard**_** ?" said Ron incredulously. "You're kidding,****right?"**

**"No, I'm not," said Hermione in surprise. "Do you know them then?"**

**"Well, of course I do!"**

''Ron's read a book that Hermione hasn't. We should mark that day on the calendar,'' Fred said jokingly.

**Harry looked up, diverted. The circumstance of Ron having read a book that Hermione had not was unprecedented. Ron, however, looked bemused by their surprise.**

**"Oh come on! All the old kids' stories are supposed to be Beedle's aren't they? 'The Fountain of Fair Fortune' … 'The Wizard and the Hopping Pot'… 'Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump'…"**

**"Excuse me?" said Hermione giggling. "What was the last one?"**

''What's there to giggle about?'' asked James, feeling a bit offended. Babbity Rabbity had been one of his favourite stories as a kid.

''The name is kind of funny,'' Lily said, as she had also not heard of it until now. She knew James had had a copy of the book in their house and she had planned to read from it to Harry when he had gotten a bit older, but she had never had a chance to peruse it before.

**"Come off it!" said Ron, looking in disbelief from Harry to Hermione. "You must've heard of Babbitty****Rabbitty –"**

**"Ron, you know full well Harry and I were brought up by Muggles!" said Hermione. "We didn't hear stories like that when we were little, we heard 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves' and 'Cinderella' –"**

''Oh, I loved Cinderella,'' Lily said with a smile. She had fond memories of her mother lying on the bed next to her and reading her fairytales until she fell asleep.

''And you think Babbity Rabbity's a funny name. What does Cinderella even mean? It sounds like an illness,'' said James but Lily just stuck her tongue out a him.

**"What's that, an illness?" asked Ron.**

''Sounds like it,'' James told the book seriously, as if he was actually talking to Ron.

**"So these are children's stories?" asked Hermione, bending against over the runes.**

**"Yeah****,****" ****s****aid Ron uncertainly. "I mean, just what you hear, you know, that all these old stories came from Beedle. I dunno what they're like in the original versions."**

**"But I wonder why Dumbledore thought I should read them?"**

''That's a very good question,'' said Molly.

''Which will remain unanswered,'' said McGonagall sullenly, shooting a glare at Dumbledore.

**Something cracked downstairs.**

**"Probably just Charlie, now Mum's asleep, sneaking off to regrow his hair," said Ron nervously.**

Charlie frowned at the reminder of the haircut he was apparently going to receive.

''I'm sure you'll look much better that way, dear,'' Molly told him with a smile, which did nothing to convince him.

**"All the same, we should get to bed," whispered Hermione. "It wouldn't do to oversleep tomorrow."**

**"No," agreed Ron. "A brutal triple murder by the bridegroom's mother might put a bit of damper on the wedding. I'll get the light."**

**And he clicked the Deluminator once more as Hermione left the room.**

Molly felt the smile freeze on her face. Ron might joke about a triple murder, but she knew that such a possibility was very, brutally real, especially in the light of what they planned to do. And the more the story progressed, the more she was starting to fear she really wouldn't be able to stop them from leaving. _Oh, what am I going to do?_

* * *

**A/N: ****What? An update when it hasn't even been a month? (okay, it's **_**really **_**close to a month, but shush, there're still two days left.)**

**As usual, thanks to everyone who reads this story and especially to those who reviewed; you guys are awesome!**

**Whew, these chapters just keep getting bigger and bigger. This one was fun to write, though; not so many life-threatening events this time. I hope you liked it and didn't get bored in the middle. Let me know what you thought of it, seeing that I have a new review never fails to make my day! **


End file.
